Chinese, Russia defense chiefs hold telephone conference

Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe held a recent telephone call with his Russia counterpart, Sergei Shoigu, to “exchange views on international and regional issues of mutual concern,” an official said Thursday.
Speaking at a monthly briefing, Defense Ministry spokesperson Col. Tan Kefei gave no further details and did not say exactly when the call took place. China has tacitly backed Russia in its aggression against Ukraine, accusing the U.S. and NATO of provoking the conflict and refusing to refer to it as an invasion in deference to Moscow. China has stopped short of providing Russia with arms or becoming directly involved in the conflict, something the U.S. has strongly warned against.
Just weeks before Russia’s February invasion, Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a joint statement with Russian President Vladimir Putin saying their countries had a “no limits” friendship.
Putin reaffirmed that relationship most recently in a congratulatory message to Xi on Sunday on his receiving an unprecedented third term as head of China’s Communist Party.