China Defense Minister Li Shangfu has crossed the wires and China is eager to collaborate with Russia to make new contributions to the maintenance of global and regional security and stability.

This comes as Shangfu starts a four-day visit to Russia, his first foreign trip in his new position. The Global Times reports that experts are saying the trip will deepen bilateral military ties and contribute to peace and stability of major international and regional hotspot issues amid a complex security environment.

´´At the invitation of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Li will pay an official visit to Russia from Sunday to Wednesday, during which he will hold talks with Russian military leaders and visit Russian military academies, Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, a spokesperson at China's Ministry of National Defense, said in a press release on Friday.´´