China says ready to work with Russia to address security threats

Beijing [China], October 30 (ANI): China has said it is ready to work with Russia to actively respond to various security threats and challenges and jointly safeguard global strategic balance and stability, Chinese state media agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday. The vice chairman of China‘s Central Military Commission Zhang Youxia on Monday held talks with visiting Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu who is attending the 10th Beijing Xiangshan Forum.

Zhang said China and Russia have maintained a high-level bilateral relationship and the relations between the two militaries exhibit strong development momentum. He said China stands ready to work with Russia to actively respond to various security threats and challenges and jointly safeguard global strategic balance and stability, as per Xinhua.

Shoigu, meanwhile, said Russia is ready to deepen pragmatic exchanges and cooperation with China and continue to enhance relations between the two countries and the two militaries. The Russian Defence Minister, during the 10th Xiangshan Security Forum in China, said that Moscow remains ready for discussions on the “post-conflict resolution” of the Ukrainian crisis and further “coexistence” with the West, the Russian News Agency TASS reported.

“In case the necessary conditions are created, we remain ready for political discussions on a realistic basis, both on the post-conflict resolution of the Ukrainian crisis and on the further coexistence with the West as a whole,” Shoigu said at the event.

He further said that Russia is determined to continue military and military-technical cooperation with interested countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including the supply of equipment and joint exercises. “We are determined to continue military-technical cooperation with interested states, including the supply and maintenance of military equipment, personnel training, joint exercises, ship visits, and other relevant events,” TASS quoted Shoigu as saying.

The Russian Defence Minister also said that Moscow’s withdrawal of ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) does not mean the dismantling of this mechanism of military-strategic balance. “As for our country’s withdrawal from ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, this is only a desire to ensure balance with the United States of America, which has never ratified this treaty. Dismantling it is out of the question,” Shoigu said.

Shoigu arrived in Beijing on Monday on a working visit, during which participated in the Xiangshan Security Forum. “The head of the Russian military department will make a report at the plenary session on the topic ‘Responsibility of large states and cooperation in the field of global security’,” the Russian Ministry of Defense said.

“The forum is attended by representatives of senior management, ministers of defense and leading experts from the countries of the Asia-Pacific region, as well as a number of European countries,” TASS quoted the Russian Defense Ministry.

The 10th Xiangshan Security Forum is being held from October 29-31, with official delegations from over 90 countries being in attendance, including the United Kingdom, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and the United States, in addition to academics and diplomats, TASS reported. (ANI)