The secretary of Russia's Security Council Sergei Shoigu will visit China next week for talks with top Chinese officials, Russian state news agencies reported.
Moscow and Beijing have deepened military and defense ties since Russia ordered troops into Ukraine nearly three years ago, with Chinese President Xi Jinping one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's most important allies on the world stage.
Shoigu will visit China on Nov. 11-14 for "consultations on strategic security issues" with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the Security Council said in a statement cited by Russian state media.
The pair will discuss "current problems of international and regional security, as well as a wide range of topics on bilateral cooperation," Russia said.
Shoigu was Russia's defense minister for the first two years of its offensive on Ukraine, before being moved to the Security Council by Putin after a string of military setbacks and criticism from the country's influential military correspondents.
He will also meet with top Chinese security official Chen Wenqing, who heads the ruling Communist Party's powerful Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.