TAIPEI, Taiwan — China and Russia pledged to strengthen cooperation on Sunday, a day after a brief rebellion by a Russian mercenary commander against the Kremlin fizzled out.
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko made a previously unannounced visit to Beijing, where he met with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang to discuss “international and regional issues of common concern,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on its website.
It was unclear whether Rudenko’s visit had been planned or was in response to a rebellion on Saturday during which Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of private mercenary army Wagner Group, ordered his troops to march on Moscow in the greatest challenge to President Vladimir Putin in his more than two decades in power. Prigozhin later on Saturday reached a deal with the Kremlin to go into exile and sounded the retreat.
China has not officially commented on the crisis in Russia.
Russia and China, while not formal allies, have maintained close ties throughout Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, which China has refused to condemn.
Rudenko also held talks with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu. The two diplomats “exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern such as the Ukrainian crisis,” according to a readout of the talks by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
The two sides pledged to “strengthen solidarity and cooperation” and promote the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a security-focused regional group that both Russia and China belong to, the ministry added.
“Under the complex and severe international situation, it is necessary to follow the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, communicate in a timely manner, ensure the stable and long-term relationship between the two countries and safeguard the common interests of both sides,” Ma said.
The United States and other Western powers have urged China not to supply Russia with arms that could be used in the Ukraine conflict. China in May sent an envoy to Ukraine and Russia in an attempt to mediate talks to end the war.
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