General Liu Zhenli, chief of staff of the Central Military Commission's Joint Staff Department, spoke with his Russian counterpart Army General Valery Gerasimov via video link on Friday, according to China's Ministry of National Defense.

The two generals exchanged their views on implementing the consensuses reached by state leaders and deepening military cooperation. They also confirmed Russian military forces' participation in a joint exercise held by China's People's Liberation Army, the ministry said in a news release, without giving more details about the conversation.

According to public information from the Chinese military, this was the first time Liu spoke with any foreign military commander since he was named a member of the Central Military Commission, China's top military authority, in March.

Gerasimov is the highest ranking officer of the Russian Armed Forces.

Song Zhongping, a military affairs commentator and retired PLA officer, said both sides have the need to deepen their mutual trust in military affairs and to improve their capability in terms of safeguarding peace and stability in the region. "The more risks that exist in the world, the more necessary it is for China and Russia to strengthen their military cooperation to fight against hegemony and power politics," he said.

Earlier this week, China and Russia conducted joint strategic air patrols over the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea. The Chinese air force deployed H-6K bombers and J-11B fighter jets while the Russian military deployed Tu-95MS bombers, and Su-35S and Su-30SM fighter jets during the two-day operation.