Russian security chief Sergei Shoigu tells Wang Yi that US ‘containment’ must be countered

Wang and Shoigu hold first meeting of high-level Chinese and Russian officials since Trump’s US presidential re-election

Reading Time:3 minutes

Sergei Shoigu, secretary of the Russian Federation Security Council, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on Tuesday, the first high-level meeting of Chinese and Russian officials since Donald Trump’s re-election as US president. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 11:00am, 13 Nov 2024Updated: 4:14pm, 13 Nov 2024

While the world waits to see the impact of a Trump presidency on great power politics, Russia’s top security official, Sergei Shoigu, told Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday that Moscow and Beijing face an “urgent task” to work together to counter “containment” by the US.

Shoigu’s meeting with Wang in Beijing was the first between high-level Russian and Chinese officials since Donald Trump won the US presidential election last week.

China has deepened its “partnership with no limit” with Russia – including military and defence ties – since Moscow was isolated and sanctioned by the West over its invasion of Ukraine two years ago.

But US policy on Ukraine might change under Trump, and that has introduced new variables to the great power triangle.

Trump, who had often expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, has criticised the scale of US military and financial support for Kyiv and called for a quick end to the war. He is also expected to bring in a number of China hawks such as US Senator Marco Rubio and Representative Michael Waltz into his administration.

Shoigu and Wang leading their delegations during the China-Russia strategic security consultation in Beijing on Tuesday. Photo: Xinhua

According to the Chinese foreign ministry, Shoigu, the secretary of Russia’s Security Council, and Wang, China’s top envoy, discussed major security issues of mutual interest, reached new consensus, increased mutual trust and agreed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation.