Chronologies
China - Russia
Chronology from Sep 2020 to Dec 2020
: Russian Ambassador to China Denisov says in a press briefing in Beijing that Putin would like to be the first foreign head of state to visit China when the pandemic is contained in 2021.
: Xi and Putin talk over the phone, during which they recall major developments in bilateral relations over 2020 and look forward to the new year for more cooperation in global, regional, and bilateral affairs.
: Wang and Lavrov discuss bilateral cooperation in foreign affairs and anti-pandemic measures.
: Chinese DM Wei Fenghe and Russian counterpart Sergey Shoygu sign a protocol to extend an agreement on mutual notification for launches of ballistic missiles and carrier rockets, upon approval from the heads of the two states. The original document, inked on Oct. 13, 2009, was set to expire on Dec. 16, 2020.
: Russia testfires its offensive strategic forces of land-based missiles, strategic bombers, and submarine-based launchers.
: Three Russian warships of the Pacific Fleet conduct a joint exercise with two Indian naval vessels in the Bay of Bengal.
: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and his Russian counterpart hold the 25th regular meeting between prime ministers via teleconference, with cooperation in Russia’s Far Eastern region a key issue, and together issue a joint communique.
: SCO holds the 19th annual prime ministerial meeting by videoconference, issuing a joint statement.
: SCO holds its “Regional Cooperation and Exchange Conference” in the Chinese city of Xuzhou. In addition to Chinese business, local and provincial officials, diplomats and trade representatives from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Cambodia, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, and Uzbekistan, as well as international organizations join the meeting.
: India hosts teleconference for the SCO’s annual Business Council for more than 200 participants.
: Wang and Lavrov discuss bilateral, international, and regional issues over the phone.
: BRICS holds its 12th summit by video, chaired by Putin.
: Putin and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang join 15th East Asia Summit via video, chaired by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc.
: Russian FM Lavrov says Russia would not pressure China to join arms control talks with the US.
: Putin chairs the SCO annual summit via videoconference. The Moscow Declaration and a news release are issued after the summit.
: Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Sergei Naryshkin says the SVR exchanges information with its Chinese counterpart, adding that the CIA was Russia’s “main opponent.” According to Chinese media, Naryshkin refers to cooperation with China as at “a very high level.”
: Deputy Foreign Minister Le Yucheng invites Russian Ambassador Denisov to China to a Chinese exhibition of the 70th anniversary of China’s Korean War entrance in Beijing.
: Sixteenth meeting of SCO Interbank Consortium Board is chaired by Russia via videoconference, featuring board members and board chairs of leading banks in the SCO member states.
: SCO holds eighth Transport Ministers’ meeting chaired by Russian Minister of Transport Yury Tsvetkov’s via videoconference.
: Moscow hosts the SCO’s first inter-party forum via teleconference.
: In his annual press conference at the Valdai Discussion Club, Putin says, for the first time, that China “is moving quickly towards superpower status,” also saying Russia and China enjoy such a good relationship that there is no need to move to a formal alliance.
: Vice Chairman of Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev voices concern over US bio-labs in many parts of the world, particularly in Commonweath of Independent States regions. The next day, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian urged the US to offer a comprehensive clarification on its overseas biological activities.
: Russia chairs the fifth SCO ministers of agriculture meeting via videoconference.
: SEO holds 18th Meeting of Prosecutors General via videoconference, under Uzbekistan’s chairmanship. The next meeting will be in India in 2021.
: Putin sends congratulatory telegraph to Xi for the 71st anniversary of the founding of the PRC.
: Russia conducts its “Caucasus 2020” strategic military drills with five foreign states (Armenia, Belarus, China, Myanmar, and Pakistan). It involved some 12,900 troops, 250 tanks, and around 450 infantry combat vehicles. China sent more than 200 personnel and light infantry vehicles. India pulled out of the exercises in late August, citing COVID-19 as the reason.
: BRICS nations hold the 10th conference (via video) for national security senior representatives.
: Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev chairs the SCO’s 15th Meeting of Security Council Secretaries via videoconference.
: In conjunction with the SCO annual foreign ministerial meeting, Wang and Lavrov take part in formal talks, attend a joint press conference, and issue a joint statement.
: SCO holds its 17th Cultural Ministerial meeting via videoconference, chaired by the Russian minister of culture.
: Trilateral lunch meeting is held in Moscow between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, External Affairs Minister of India Jaishankar, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. A joint press release was issued afterward. Earlier in the day, Wang and Jaishankar held a bilateral meeting on the border issue.
: SCO holds its 17th annual foreign ministerial meeting in Moscow. Putin met with the SCO foreign ministers via video a day before.
: Defense ministers of the SCO, CIS, and CSTO countries hold a joint meeting in Kubinka, Moscow Region, chaired by Russia. Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe held separate meetings with his Indian and Russian counterparts on the sidelines of the group meetings.
: Russian Ambassador to China Andrey Denisov joins a ceremony in Beijing to commemorate Soviet pilots in China during World War II. Chinese and Russian ambassadors to the US Cui Tiankai and Anatoly Antonov jointly pen an op-ed piece on Defense One titled “Honor World War II with a Better, Shared Future.”