China strengthens military ties with Russia, Iran and Belarus

China’s Defense Minister, Li Shangfu, announced plans to strengthen military collaboration with Iran, Belarus, and member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which includes Russia.

The announcement came during Li’s address at the 11th International Security Conference in Moscow.

Li emphasized China’s commitment to diplomatic conflict resolutions: “We are devoted to fostering peace talks and facilitating a broader international consensus to address issues, whether in Afghanistan, Syria, the Korean Peninsula, Ukraine, or regarding Iran’s nuclear situation.”

Founded in 2001, the SCO comprises nations such as Russia, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, India, and Pakistan.

After the Moscow conference, Li will visit Russia and Belarus.

During his Belarus visit, he will engage in discussions with Belarusian national and military leaders and inspect some of the nation’s military units, as conveyed by Wu Qian, the spokesperson for China’s Defense Ministry.

Li, who assumed his ministerial role in March, faced U.S. sanctions in 2018 over alleged armament purchases from Russia’s state-owned company, Rosoboronexport.

In a recent joint statement following a Kremlin meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, both nations affirmed their intent to bolster military cooperation, highlighting mutual trust enhancement amongst their armed forces.

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