China’s defense chief to visit Russia

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu will start an official four-day visit to Russia on Sunday.

Senior Col. Tan Kefei, the spokesman for China's Defense Ministry, told a press briefing in Beijing that during his trip, Li will meet and hold talks with Russian military leaders, and visit military academies.

Li was confirmed as China’s defense chief last month and the upcoming Russia trip will be his first overseas visit after being appointed to lead one of the world’s largest militaries.

“In recent years, the military-to-military relations between China and Russia have seen steady development on a high level under the strategic leadership of the two heads of state,” Tan said, according to a transcript of his news briefing.

Li's scheduled trip to Russia comes after Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Russia last month.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had extended the invitation to Li, according to China’s Defense Ministry.

“New progress has been made in strategic communication, joint exercises and training, and pragmatic cooperation, etc. These have continuously enriched the strategic connotations of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era,” Tan said.

Tan also criticized NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s statement that China posed a “security challenge and the transatlantic alliance must deepen its engagement with partners in the wider Asia-Pacific region.”

“China firmly opposes NATO's involvement in the Asia-Pacific affairs on the pretext of the so-called ‘China Challenge’ to construct the ‘Asia-Pacific version of NATO’,” Tan told reporters.

Tan pointed out that in recent years “NATO has continuously broken traditional defense zones and fields, seeking to strengthen military and security ties with Asia Pacific countries.”

“It has also deliberately stirred up conflicts and differences, advocated for camp confrontation, and created regional tensions, posing a real challenge and threat to regional and world peace and stability,” he added.