Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in China on Tuesday for talks on the wars in Ukraine and Iran, as well as bilateral relations and coordination within international organizations.
Lavrov was shown on Russian state television arriving in Beijing, where he is expected to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said a “thorough exchange of views” is expected on a range of “hot topics” and regional issues, including the situation in Ukraine and developments in the Middle East.
According to the ministry, Lavrov and Wang will also discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation and coordination in multilateral forums, including the United Nations, BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the G20 and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.
China and Russia declared a “no limits” partnership in February 2022 during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Beijing, days before Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin has at times described China as an ally.
U.S. intelligence agencies, in an annual threat assessment, have described China and Russia as the main strategic competitors to Washington across areas including the Arctic, artificial intelligence, space and nuclear weapons.
