Putin says Russia–China ties at their highest level

Moscow – President of Russia Vladimir Putin said that the relationship between Russia and China has reached a level ‘unprecedented’, while bilateral trade has risen more than thirtyfold in the past 25 years. Speaking at a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Wednesday, Putin described Xi as a ‘close friend’ and quoted a Chinese proverb that ‘if a friend is not met for one day, it feels like three autumns have passed.’ Putin said at the opening of negotiations in the Fujian Hall, Great Hall of the People, that Russia–China relations are now ‘an example of partnership.’ ‘In the middle of the crisis in the Middle East, Russia continues to maintain its role as a reliable supplier of resources, while China remains a responsible consumer of those resources,’ he said. According to Putin, Moscow and Beijing continue to support ‘cultural and civilisational diversity’ and respect each other’s path of sovereign development.