Top Chinese, Russian foreign ministry officials exchange views on common concern

Chinese  Foreign Minister Qin Gang and Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu have exchanged views with visiting Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko on a range of international and regional issues of common concern. 

In a statement released on Sunday, the Chinese foreign ministry said that Qin and Rudenko discussed “international and regional issues of common concern.”

The two sides talked about bilateral relations between the two countries and exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis and other international and regional issues of common concern, according to the ministry.

During meetings between Ma and Rudenko in Beijing, Ma said that under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China and Russia have continuously deepened political mutual trust and strengthened practical cooperation.

In the face of the complex international situation, China and Russia should follow the important consensus reached by the two heads of state in March, communicate with each other timely, ensure the steady and long-term development of bilateral relations, and safeguard the common interests of both sides, Ma added.

In a statement released after the meeting, Russia’s foreign ministry said that “the Chinese side expressed its support for the efforts of the leadership of the Russian Federation to stabilize the situation in the country in connection with the June 24 events and reiterated its interest in strengthening Russia’s unity and further prosperity.”

Over the past two years, though not a formal alliance, China and Russia have forged a friendship with “no limits”, according to the leaders of both countries.

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Russia

The visit by the deputy foreign minister comes in the wake of an armed mutiny by a private Russian military company.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry posted a statement on its website Sunday saying that the mutiny by Yevgeniy Prigozhin and his Wagner Group is an “internal affair.”

“As Russia’s friendly neighbor and comprehensive strategic partner of coordination for the new era, China supports Russia in maintaining national stability and achieving development and prosperity,” the statement read.

The fleeting mutiny by the Wagner Group against the Russian military leadership on Saturday ended with a deal brokered by Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko, Russian officials, and Wagner Group's boss Yevgeny Prigozhin 

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“This cooperation is a natural reaction to the aggressive build-up of US military potential in the region.”

The mutiny started over differences between Prigozhin and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. The Russian military official said Prigozhin has dragged members of the group into a criminal adventure.

Prigozhin had accused Russia’s military top brass of ordering a rocket attack on Wagner’s field camps in Ukraine -- where Russia has been leading a military operation -- killing "huge numbers” of his paramilitary forces.

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China says it is "willing to work together with the Russian military to fully implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state."

The timely agreement which prevented a bloodbath on Russian territory was reached after a full day of negotiations between Russia and the Wagner Group boss, with Lukashenko's mediation.

The deal stipulates that Wagner's forces will withdraw and receive security guarantees, while the indictment against Prigozhin will be dismissed and he will depart toward Belarus, the Kremlin said.

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The New York Times has reported US intelligence officials were aware that Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief of the Wagner group, was planning to take military action against Russia.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has described the events that unfolded earlier in the day in the form of the mutiny as "tragic." Still praising the deal, the Russian official said avoiding bloodshed was more important than punishing people.

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