The Chinese state news agency Xinhua has reported that Sergei Shoigu, Secretary of the Russian Security Council, and Wang Yi, China’s Foreign Minister, met in Beijing to discuss strengthening security cooperation, Afghanistan, and broader regional and Middle Eastern affairs.
According to the report, the two sides agreed to hold a new round of China-Russia strategic security talks at an appropriate time, though details of their discussions on Afghanistan have not yet been disclosed.
Like other countries, Russia and China have not officially recognised the Taliban government. However, both nations maintain extensive diplomatic and economic ties with the group.
Shoigu previously visited Kabul in November 2024, where he held separate meetings with the Taliban’s Deputy Prime Ministers for Economic and Political Affairs, as well as the Ministers of Defence and Interior.
During his trip to China, Shoigu also met with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Russian media outlets have reported that Moscow and Beijing share aligned perspectives on key international issues. Shoigu emphasised that political and strategic trust between the two countries remains high and that their relationship is unaffected by external pressures.
