China and Russia are looking to expand their naval cooperation with each other, as expressed by Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu in his high-level talks with Nikolai Yevmenov, head of the Russian Navy.

Li said he hoped to strengthen communication at all levels and organise joint exercises, joint cruises, and joint military skills competitions, as well as increase practical cooperation in professional fields. He stressed the importance of the two countries making positive contributions to regional and world peace and stability.

Yevmenov responded in kind, saying the two should continue to expand exchanges at all levels of their navies and take the relationship between their militaries to new heights. This high-level public talk between China and Russia’s military officials is the first since the failed mutiny in Russia last month, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin of the Wagner mercenary group.

Though Beijing supported Moscow in protecting national stability, Chinese leader Xi Jinping has yet to hold public talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the incident. The two countries have had a strong strategic partnership since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2014, and have ramped up their economic cooperation and diplomatic contacts in recent years.

Their militaries have also frequently held joint drills, with the chief of staff of Russia's armed forces, Valery Gerasimov, saying last month that their strong military partnership with China provided stability around the world. The talks between Li Shangfu and Nikolai Yevmenov has been an important step in furthering the strong relationship between China and Russia.

This partnership has been tested in the wake of the failed mutiny in Russia, but the two countries remain committed to expanding their naval cooperation. As Li and Yevmenov have expressed, the focus now is on increasing communication and exchanges at all levels of both navies, as well as providing positive contributions to maintaining regional and world peace and stability.