China vows to deepen military ties with Russia

China announced on Thursday its commitment to "expand practical cooperation" with the Russian military following President Xi Jinping's recent visit to Moscow for a grand World War Two Victory Day parade.

The strengthening of ties between the two nations comes amid increasing global scrutiny, especially after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Xi's trip has drawn criticism from Kyiv's allies, who accuse Beijing of providing economic and political support to Moscow's aggression.

While the Chinese government maintains it is a neutral party in the conflict, it has emphasised ongoing efforts to promote peace.

On Thursday, in response to a question linked to Xi's visit asking how China would promote military-to-military ties with Russia, the defence ministry said the relationship was "operating at a high level".

"The Chinese military stands ready to work with the Russian side to further deepen strategic mutual trust, step up strategic communication, and expand practical cooperation," Defence Ministry spokesman Jiang Bin said in a response posted to the social media platform WeChat.

The moves would "enrich the content of China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era", Jiang said.

He added that they would also "contribute to maintaining and strengthening global strategic stability".

After a lengthy meeting with President Vladimir Putin on his trip, Xi said China's ties with Russia brought "positive energy" to a turbulent world.

He added that both nations stood firm against "hegemonic bullying", an apparent swipe at the United States.

Putin, for his part, told reporters he and Xi had held "traditionally warm, friendly" talks and addressed the Chinese leader as his "dear friend".