China-Russia mutual trust improving

The fruitful visit to Russia of State Councilor and Defense Minister Li Shangfu has "deeply demonstrated the deepened mutual trust and independent military cooperation between the two countries", a spokesman said on Wednesday.

Li made the visit from Sunday to Wednesday at the invitation of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. He met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and held talks with Shoigu during the visit, his first overseas trip after taking office in March.

"Through sincere and friendly meetings and talks with Russian state and military leaders, the two countries have reached a lot of consensus," Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, a spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, said in a news release.