China on Sunday said it supported Russia in “protecting national stability”, in Beijing’s first official remarks on a short-lived armed uprising led by the head of the Wagner mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin.
“As a friendly neighbour and a new era comprehensive strategic cooperative partner, China supports Russia in protecting national stability and achieving development and prosperity,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
The issue was Russia’s “internal affair”, the ministry added.
Beijing had until late Sunday refrained from commenting on the weekend’s turmoil in Russia, which saw the mutiny’s leader agree to go into exile after President Vladimir Putin was forced to accept an amnesty deal.
On Sunday, China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang met with Russia’s deputy foreign minister Andrey Rudenko in Beijing.
The two diplomats discussed “China-Russia relations,” Beijing said, as well as “international and regional issues of common concern”.
Read | US Says Wagner uprising a direct challenge to Russian president Vladimir Putin | 10 points
In its readout of the talks, Moscow said Beijing had “expressed support for the efforts of the leadership of the Russian Federation to stabilise the situation in the country.”
China and Russia have ramped up economic cooperation and diplomatic contacts in recent years, with their strategic partnership growing closer since the invasion of Ukraine.
Beijing says it is a neutral party in the war, but has been criticised by Western countries for refusing to condemn Moscow and for its ties with Russia.
Analysts say China holds the upper hand in the relationship with Russia and that its sway is growing as Moscow’s international isolation deepens.
