China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a series of high-level meetings in the Russian capital on Tuesday, reinforcing the close strategic coordination between Beijing and Moscow. 

The visit, made at the invitation of Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu, coincided with the 20th round of China-Russia strategic security consultations.

Wang's talks with Shoigu focused on regional security tensions, particularly in Asia. The discussions followed recent statements on the Taiwan question by Japan's new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, which Beijing and Moscow view as raising the temperature in an already volatile security climate. 

Shoigu reaffirmed Russia's "consistent and unwavering" support for China on issues around Taiwan, Xinjiang, Xizang (also known as Tibet) and Hong Kong, underscoring Moscow's alignment with Beijing on its most sensitive issues.

This was Wang's third trip to Moscow in 2025, reflecting the sustained pace of high-level engagement between the two countries. In the afternoon, Wang met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov for another round of diplomatic coordination. 

Lavrov noted that frequent dialogue strengthens bilateral cooperation, while Wang described the meeting as an example of "high-level mutual trust" within the comprehensive strategic partnership.

Wang emphasized that China and Russia must enhance communication "at critical moments," referencing the shifting geopolitical environment affecting both countries. 

His comments came as US envoy Steve Witkoff was also in Moscow on Tuesday for separate talks centered on the Ukraine conflict – an overlap that highlighted the dense diplomatic activity in the Russian capital.

During his discussions, Wang also welcomed Russia's recent decision to grant visa-free entry to Chinese nationals. The move is expected to strengthen tourism flows and further intertwine the two economies.

The policy, enacted by a decree signed by President Vladimir Putin, was described by Wang as a positive symbol of the current state of bilateral relations and a boost for people-to-people exchanges. 

Wang's visit effectively capped a year of intensified cooperation across political, economic, and security domains. Both sides used the Moscow meetings to review progress from 2025 and map out priorities for 2026, with a shared focus on strategic stability, regional diplomacy, and the continued expansion of their partnership.

At a time when global geopolitical questions are shifting, the meetings in Moscow underscored the depth and consistency of China-Russia coordination – a partnership both governments view as essential to advancing their national interests in the coming year.