China defence minister vows greater 'strategic coordination' with Russiaby AFP Staff WritersBeijing (AFP) Jan 27, 2026China's Defence Minister Dong Jun told his Russian counterpart that the two countries should "strengthen strategic coordination" during a video call on Tuesday, according to state broadcaster CCTV. "China is willing to work with Russia to ... strengthen strategic coordination, enrich the substance of cooperation, improve exchange mechanisms," Dong told his Russian counterpart Andrey Belousov, according to CCTV. There was no mention of the Ukraine conflict in the readout reported by CCTV or in a statement from Russia's defence ministry. China and Russia are close partners, and while Beijing has said it takes a neutral stance on the war in Ukraine, it has never condemned the invasion. Western governments accuse Beijing of providing Russia with crucial economic support for its war effort, notably by supplying military components for its defence industry.