Russian and Chinese defence ministers hold talks in Moscow

🇷🇺 Greetings by Russian Defence Minister General of the Army S.K. Shoigu

Esteemed Minister!
Ni hao!
It is a pleasure to welcome you and the Chinese delegation to Moscow.
I would like to start by congratulating you on being appointed the People's Republic of China's Minister of Defence. I also want to wish you luck in your important position in defending the motherland, enhancing its defensive potential, and further modernising the People's Liberation Army of China.
I am confident that your considerable experience of interaction with the Russian Federation will contribute both to the development of the Armed Forces of the People's Republic of China and to the expansion of military cooperation between our countries.

We appreciate the fact that after your appointment as Minister of Defence you chose Russia as the first country for your international trip just as President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping did when he paid a state visit to our country in March.

The major political event in China-Russia relations this year was the Moscow summit.
Honourable Minister, your trip to Moscow is a result of important agreements between the President of Russia and the President of the People's Republic of China. On 16 April you were received by the President of the Russian Federation, which demonstrates a particularly trusting nature of our interstate relations.
In the spirit of unbreakable friendship between the nations, peoples, and the armed forces of China and Russia, I look forward to the closest and most successful cooperation with you.

The choices made by the leaders of Russia and China are defining long-term goals for security and national development against the backdrop of the developing global events.
President Vladimir Putin and President Xi Jinping have confirmed that the Russia-China comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction are at the highest level.
They need to be developed with strong support for each other, including on issues of national security.

The joint statement of our leaders reflects agreements on both the political and practical sides of cooperation. It emphasizes the importance of strengthening military cooperation.
We can stabilise the global situation and lessen the potential for conflict by coordinating our actions on the global stage.
Such approaches are being implemented in preparing joint maritime and air patrols and military exercises, both in bilateral and multilateral formats - within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and ADMM+.
It is important that our countries share the same view on the ongoing transformation of the global geopolitical landscape.
The meeting we have today will, in my opinion, help to further solidify the Russia-China strategic partnership in the defence sphere and enable an open discussion of regional and global security issues.
Welcome to Moscow, to the Ministry of Defence!
Thank you!

🇨🇳Greetings by Minister of National Defence of the People's Republic of China General Li Shangfu

Esteemed Minister Shoigu!
It is a pleasure to meet you in Moscow. I thank my Russian friends for the warm welcome.
I want to express my sincere gratitude for the first congratulations letter that was issued on your behalf after I was appointed Minister of Defence.
Comrade Minister, then I also received an invitation from you to visit Russia. For this, I offer my sincere thanks.
Comrade Minister, you are an old good friend of the Chinese people, the Chinese People's Liberation Army, and you have made an important contribution to promoting the relationship between the two nations and the armed forces.
And before that, when I was working in other positions, I had met you several times. Your candour and knowledge left a lasting impression on me.
I am sure that we will definitely maintain a good working relationship and personal friendship in the future.
In order to carry out the agreements made by the heads of our states last year, President Xi Jinping made a state visit to Russia where he met with President Putin and established crucial agreements to advance the comprehensive development of the Chinese and Russian armed forces.  
My first trip abroad after being appointed Minister of Defence is to Russia to show the outside world how far along China-Russia relations have come. And to demonstrate a strong determination to strengthen strategic interaction between the armed forces of China and Russia.
President Putin met with me right away when I got to Moscow. I consider it a great honour.
 Yesterday we also visited the Military Academy of the Russian General Staff, and I got a lot out of that visit. It was very enlightening. Russian officials are paying close attention to my official visit.  
The armed forces of China and Russia will definitely carefully implement all the agreements reached by the heads of states, promote military and military-technical cooperation between China and Russia, and take them to a new level.