The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that Mr. Li Shangfu began visiting Russia and Belarus from August 14.
Li is scheduled to speak at the Moscow Conference on International Security and meet with Russian defense chiefs and Belarusian state and military leaders. This is the first official visit by a Chinese defense minister to Belarus in five years.
Li’s six-day trip comes as Beijing and Moscow continue to strengthen military ties despite pressure from the West. Li took office as China’s defense minister in March and has visited Russia once since then.
Before this trip, Mr. Ly met his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu twice in Moscow - Russia and New Delhi - India in April this year.
In Moscow, Mr. Li and Mr. Shoigu pledged to promote cooperation between the two countries' armed forces, including in military technology and support for each side's "core interests."
Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu. Photo: EPA
Mr. Li also met with Russian naval commander Nikolai Yevmenov in Beijing last month and discussed naval cooperation between the two countries.
However, Mr. Lee has yet to officially meet his US counterpart Lloyd Austin.
Beijing and Moscow have maintained close military ties despite pressure from Washington and its allies over Russia's launch of a special military operation in Ukraine last February.
China and Russia have held at least 45 joint military exercises since 2012 – the highest number ever. Twenty of those were bilateral exercises.
Meanwhile, Mr. Li’s trip to Belarus marks the first by a Chinese defense minister in five years. It comes after Russia deployed nuclear weapons to Belarus and amid China’s attempts to play a mediator role in the conflict in Ukraine.
In early August, China sent its special envoy for Eurasian affairs Li Hui to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to participate in international talks on a peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine.
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