China's defense minister said Beijing seeks to "deepen and solidify" its military relationship with Russia.
The news came after the Wagner Group's aborted overthrow of Russian President Vladimir Putin. It was the biggest threat ever to Putin's rule.
In a meeting Monday with Nikolai Yevmenov, Russian navy commander in chief, Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu said that "with the joint efforts of both sides, the relations between the two militaries will continue to deepen and solidify, constantly make new progress and reach a new level," Bloomberg reported.
According to a statement from China's defense ministry, Li said he hoped the Chinese and Russian navies regularly could hold joint exercises and "expand practical cooperation."
China has refused to resume high-level military talks with the U.S. until sanctions are lifted on Li, who was punished by Washington in 2018 for a Russian arms purchase.
Yevmenov said Russia attaches great importance to enhancing practical cooperation with China's military in various fields, China Daily.com reported.
Yevmenov added that Russia wants to maintain close coordination with China, continuously expand naval exchanges at all levels, and constantly push the bilateral military relations to a higher level.
China has supported Putin since he ordered an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin last week led a brief revolt against Putin before abruptly reaching a deal with the Kremlin to go into exile, ending the brief mutiny.
Chinese officials offered a muted reaction to the uprising. The ruling Chinese Communist Party called the swift end of the 22-hour revolt Moscow's "internal affair," with state media affirming China's support for Russia.
The Chinese communists called the swift end of the 22-hour revolt Moscow's "internal affair," with state media affirming China's support for Russia.
China's foreign ministry then said it supported Russia's actions to maintain national stability, and Foreign Minister Qin Gang met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko, Bloomberg reported.
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