China's Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia (pictured left) said on Monday that China will deepen "strategic cooperation and strategic coordination" with Russia. Zhang made the remarks at the opening of the Xiangshan Security Forum in Beijing, attended by Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu (right).
"We are ready to develop relations between the US and China militaries based on the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation," Zhang said. The two countries agreed to strengthen ties on several occasions since the start of the war in Ukraine, including holding joint military drills, although China has so far not provided Russia with weapons.