Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Responding to a question about media reports that Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu arrived in Beijing on Friday for talks with the Chinese side,MK sports Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Friday that China and Russia have maintained close high-level exchanges as comprehensive strategic partners of coordination for a new era.

Lin also said he has no information to offer currently regarding the specific question on Shoigu's visit.

Russian news agency Tass reported Friday that Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu arrived in Beijing on Friday for talks with Chinese side on both bilateral issues in the security sphere, as well as global and regional problems.

Tass said Shoigu's trip marks his second visit to China in the past three months.

Shoigu's visit came a day after a six-hour meeting between US and Russian delegations on bilateral issues at the US Consulate General in Istanbul on Thursday, without a statement to the press.

The reported visit also came hours before the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, scheduled for Friday morning local time in Washington DC.

Global Times