The foreign ministers of China and Russia, Wang Yi and Sergey Lavrov, held a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Brazil. They discussed the crisis in Ukraine and the tension on the Korean Peninsula, *France Presse* reported, referring to Chinese State Television, quoted by BTA.
„China is ready to work with Russia to further strengthen strategic cooperation,” said Wang Yi.
The rapprochement between China and Russia
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Beijing and Moscow have significantly strengthened their partnership in the fields of diplomacy, economy and defense. Although China presents itself as a neutral party in the conflict, Western countries accuse it of providing tacit economic and political support to Russia.
The Korean Peninsula and North Korea
The situation on the Korean Peninsula was also a key topic. Beijing has traditionally been North Korea's biggest diplomatic ally and a major source of economic support for Pyongyang. However, North Korea's decision to send military aid to Russia causes some inconvenience for China. According to experts, Beijing fears that the defense agreement between Moscow and Pyongyang could lead to destabilization in the region.
Last week, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned US President Joe Biden that Beijing would not allow destabilization of the Korean Peninsula. *Xinhua* quoted Xi Jinping as stressing that "China will not stand idly by if its strategic security is threatened”.