Shoygu Visits China for Talks on International, Regional Security

(MENAFN) Sergey Shoygu, head of Russia’s Security Council, arrived in China on Sunday to hold discussions on international and regional security matters, according to reports.

Shoygu is scheduled to meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China, to review developments in global security and regional tensions. “On Feb. 1, the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Sergey Shoygu, arrived in the People's Republic of China to hold negotiations with a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi,” the council stated. During the talks, the two officials are expected to “discuss the changed situation in the field of international and regional security.”

The visit comes amid rising US-Iran tensions, following recent US military deployments in the Middle East and Iran’s announcement of upcoming joint naval exercises with China and Russia in the northern Indian Ocean scheduled for mid-February.

Earlier developments included a video call on Tuesday between Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov and his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun, during which they analyzed situations in Iran, where the US struck nuclear facilities in June 2025, and in Venezuela, where a US operation on Jan. 3 led to the capture and extradition of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Both ministers agreed to take “relevant actions” in response.

On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Iran’s Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, in the Kremlin.

Russia and Iran signed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement in January 2025, which includes mutual military support if either country is attacked. Iran maintains a similar security treaty with China, signed in 2021, reflecting close trilateral defense cooperation.

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