Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov touched down in Beijing on Tuesday for high-level diplomatic meetings focused on ongoing global conflicts and strengthening ties between Russia and China.
Russian state media broadcast footage of Lavrov’s arrival, where he is scheduled to meet with his Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
According to a statement from Russia’s Foreign Ministry, the discussions will include “a thorough exchange of views on a number of ‘hot topics’ and regional issues, including the Ukrainian crisis and the situation in the Middle East.”
The diplomatic agenda also includes talks about enhancing bilateral cooperation and coordinating efforts within international organizations including the United Nations, BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the G20, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, according to ministry officials.
The meeting comes amid the strengthened relationship between Moscow and Beijing, which announced a “no limits” partnership in February 2022 during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to China. That visit occurred just days before Putin launched his military invasion of Ukraine with tens of thousands of troops. Putin has occasionally referred to China as an “ally” in recent statements.
According to the latest annual threat assessment from U.S. intelligence agencies, both China and Russia represent Washington’s primary global competitors across multiple domains, including Arctic interests, artificial intelligence development, space exploration, and nuclear weapons capabilities.
