China, Russia discuss Ukraine, reach 'consensus' on Japan during Chinese minister's visit

Members of the delegations, led by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, attend a meeting in Moscow, Russia, Dec 2, 2025. Russian Foreign Ministry/Handout via REUTERS

China and Russia reached "broad consensus" on a range of issues during the Chinese foreign minister's trip to Moscow this week, amid a burst of diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine and as Beijing seeks to rally support in a row with Tokyo.

Beijing and Moscow must "continue to coordinate and cooperate, to resolutely subdue Japanese far-right forces' provocative actions to undermine regional peace and stability and attempts at remilitarising," Wang Yi told his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday, according to a Chinese ministry statement released on Wednesday.

The remarks come amid the worst diplomatic crisis between Beijing and Tokyo in years, after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said last month a hypothetical Chinese attack on democratically ruled Taiwan could trigger a response from Tokyo.

In a separate meeting, Wang and Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu "conducted strategic alignment on issues involving Japan and reached a high-level of consensus", the Chinese Foreign Ministry statement said.

Wang's visit coincided with a trip to Moscow by US President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

The Kremlin said a five-hour meeting between President Vladimir Putin and the US envoys did not lead to a compromise on a possible peace deal to end the war in Ukraine.

Beijing will continue to play a constructive role in resolving the Ukraine crisis and will maintain strategic communications with Moscow, Wang told Lavrov and Shoigu, according to the ministry statement.

The issue of Ukraine also came up during Wang's recent talks with his European counterparts, as well as during an phone call between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping late last month.

Xi told Trump that China "hopes all parties will continue to narrow differences and reach a fair, lasting and binding peace agreement as soon as possible".

French President Emmanuel Macron, on a trip to China this week, is also expected to discuss Ukraine with Xi, days after he warmly received Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris.