As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues, the two nations are looking to deepen diplomatic ties. On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov landed in China for an official visit, according to his ministry.
The foreign ministry posted on X Monday morning to announce that Lavrov had arrived in Beijing.
According to an earlier statement from the ministry, he would spend two days in the Chinese capital and meet with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.
“An in-depth exchange of points of view is expected on a certain number of ‘burning subjects’,” the statement said, citing “the Ukrainian crisis and the situation in the Asia-Pacific region”.
The two men would “discuss a wide range of questions linked to bilateral cooperation, as well as cooperation on the international scene”, the ministry continued.
During an international summit on Chinese President Xi Jinping’s centerpiece Belt and Road infrastructure plan, Lavrov paid Beijing a visit in October of last year.
Though it has emerged as Russia’s top trading partner in the past two years and supports a diplomatic solution to put an end to the fighting, China still views itself as a neutral party in the Ukraine issue.
Western countries frequently call on Beijing to use its clout with the Kremlin to help restore peace in Ukraine.
