A People's Liberation Army (PLA) delegation led by Ground Force Commander Li Qiaoming arrived in Moscow for talks on Thursday, as Chinese Premier Li Qiang left the city for neighbouring Belarus.
According to a Russian defence ministry statement cited by state news agency Sputnik: "A protocol meeting was held between the Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation, Colonel General Alexander Fomin, and the Commander of the Ground Forces of the People's Liberation Army of China, Colonel General Li Qiaoming."
Li Qiaoming was in Moscow on a working visit at the invitation of commander-in-chief of the Russian ground forces, Army General Oleg Salyukov, the statement added.
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Sputnik News said the two sides discussed topical issues of mutual interest on military cooperation, but did not elaborate.
There has so far been no official announcement from the Chinese side about the visit.
Just a day before, Russian President Vladimir Putin met Premier Li at the Kremlin, with both sides agreeing to strengthen economic and technological cooperation.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin, in Moscow on Wednesday. Photo: Xinhua alt=Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin, in Moscow on Wednesday. Photo: Xinhua>
Earlier, Li held talks with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, and the pair witnessed the signing of more than a dozen agreements ranging from investment to transport cooperation, according to the Kremlin.
Neither the Chinese nor the Russian readout on Li's visit mentioned whether the situation in Ukraine figured in the talks.
Under Chinese President Xi Jinping, the portfolio of a premier is mainly to implement trade, economic and administrative policies laid down by the ruling Communist Party. Military affairs are not supposed to be part of Li Qiang's remit.
The visit of the PLA delegation not only closely followed Li's visit reaffirming China-Russia relations, it also took place at a sensitive time - with Ukrainian forces leading a surprise incursion into Russia's Kursk region since early this month.
Russia has failed to push back the offensive. On Thursday, Putin met his senior aides to review the situation in Kursk, facing the largest incursion by a foreign force on Russian soil since World War II.