Follow us on:   

Putin meets top Chinese military official
November 1, 2013, 9:42 am

[PPIO]

Putin said he believed military cooperation plays a pivotal role in the strategic partnership between Russia and China [PPIO]

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday discussed military technology cooperation with a visiting Chinese military official in Moscow.

The Russian leader and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China Xu Qiliang vowed to promote bilateral ties at a time when economic ties have seen a resurgence with a series of billion dollar energy deals signed in recent months.

President Putin said he and Chinese President Xi Jinping have good “working and personal relationships”, and that political trust between the two countries has reached a historic high.

Military ties between the two partners have also been progressing quickly, said Putin.

The countries armed forces regularly hold joint drills and military cooperation in other areas is also fruitful, said the Russian leader.

Putin said he believed military cooperation plays a pivotal role in the strategic partnership between Russia and China.

The two nations shared common concerns over western threats of military intervention in Syria and backed a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear crisis.

Xu told Putin on Thursday that the Sino-Russian military alliance contributes to regional and world peace.

“China is willing to deepen military exchange and expand pragmatic cooperation with Russia so as to boost bilateral military ties to a new high,” said Xu.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, Russia’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to China Andrei Denisov, and Director of the Federal Service for Military Technical Cooperation Alexander Fomin were present at the meeting.

President Xi has said previously that China and Russia had upheld “justice” and safeguarded “common interests” by their strategic cooperation in global and regional affairs.

Growing ties between the two nations is seen as a counterweight to the US-Japan alliance.

A China-Russia maritime joint military exercise in July took place almost at the same time as Japan and the United States dispatched 16 fighter aircrafts to hold a joint cruise drill in Hokkaido.

Moscow and Beijing signed 21 trade agreements two weeks ago, including a new 100 million metric ton oil supply deal with China’s Sinopec during a state visit by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

Medvedev and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also witnessed the signing of the $85 billion deal to deliver oil to China.

Russia and China also inked a $270 billion oil deal in June this year which is likely to make Moscow China’s biggest energy supplier.

Source: Agencies