Kremlin says Russia and China must edge closer to counter Western efforts to contain them

MOSCOW (AP) — A senior Kremlin official has called for closer policy coordination between Moscow and Beijing to counter Western efforts to contain them as he hosted China’s top diplomat for security talks. Nikolai Patrushev, the secretary of Russia’s Security Council chaired by President Vladimir Putin, told Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi that Moscow wants to further strengthen “strategic cooperation” with China. He reaffirmed Russia’s support for Beijing’s policy on issues related to Taiwan, the western Xinjiang region and Hong Kong, which he said “are being used by the West to discredit China.” The Kremlin has continuously expressed support for Beijing as Russia and China have grown increasingly close while their relations with the West deteriorate.