During a video conference on Friday, President Vladimir Putin and President Xi Jinping confirmed their readiness to deepen strategic cooperation between Russia and China.
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Aimed at shaping a "just world order based on international law," this strategic bilateral cooperation will entail greater coordination between Moscow and Beijing in the international arena, including in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the BRICS, and the Group of 20.
"Amid increasing tension in the world, relations between the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China demonstrate stability and a model of cooperation," Putin said, emphasizing that bilateral trade increased over this year despite the "illegitimate restrictions and direct blackmail from some Western countries."
The accumulative trade between China and Russia reached US$154 billion in the first 10 months of this year, growing 33 percent year-on-year," Chinese outlet CGTN recalled.
Putin also stressed that military cooperation between the two countries occupies a "primary place" because it contributes to regional security and stability.
For his part, XI expressed Beijing's willingness to increase political cooperation with Russia in the midst of a complex international context generated by the U.S. and European sanctions against Moscow.
"Energy supplies have reached unprecedented levels, and joint projects are underway to add capacity in hydrocarbons production and refining. In 2022, Russia became one of the leaders in oil exports to China," the Kremlin recalled.