Wang Yi tells Patrushev China will expand Arctic and maritime ties with Russia

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Nikolai Patrushev, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, that Beijing is ready to expand cooperation with Moscow in the Arctic and in maritime logistics. The two met in Beijing on 12 October, according to the Ukrainian monitoring project DeepState, which cited the Chinese Foreign Ministry's account of the talks.

Patrushev chairs Russia's Maritime Collegium, a state body that coordinates Russian maritime policy.

Arctic and shipping routes

Wang said China's "Polar Silk Road" project, Beijing's name for its plans for Arctic shipping and related infrastructure, matches Russian plans to develop Arctic sea routes. He said China is ready to coordinate maritime strategies with Russia and to expand cooperation in the Arctic.

The areas he named were:

• protecting the maritime interests of both countries;
• security in the Asia-Pacific region;
• unimpeded shipping on key global routes.

Wang also spoke of stable energy supplies and supply chains, DeepState reported.

Patrushev said Russia is ready to work with China on developing the Trans-Arctic International Transport Corridor. DeepState noted that Russia wants to use Chinese expertise in shipbuilding, logistics and maritime trade. That remark is DeepState's own assessment, not a quote from either official.

Duma election congratulations

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Wang also congratulated Russia on its September State Duma elections. He said the results reflect the shared will of the Russian people. The Duma is the lower house of Russia's parliament.

Sourcing

The statements come from the Chinese Foreign Ministry's readout as relayed by DeepState, and RealUA has not seen a full Russian or Chinese transcript of the meeting. The source material does not describe any agreements signed during the talks, and it does not link the discussions to the war in Ukraine.