China and Russia should jointly protect their interests in the field of security and development in their efforts to build a "more just" world order. This was said by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the visiting Speaker of the Russian Parliament Vyacheslav Volodin, quoted by the official Xinhua news agency, BTA reported.
The two countries should maintain their traditional friendship and strengthen strategic trust with each other, the Chinese leader added.
"The countries should maintain their traditional friendship, strengthen strategic trust with each other, as well as their exchanges and cooperation in a number of areas. "They should jointly defend their security and development interests, unite countries from the Global South and adhere to a genuine multilateral approach, helping to develop the world order in a more just and rational direction," Xi said.
A few days ago, US President Donald Trump said that in two weeks he could impose "severe" sanctions on Russia depending on whether there is progress in ending the Russian invasion, Reuters notes.
Earlier this month, Trump met with his counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska, but failed to convince him to meet with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky.
Yesterday, the Republican billionaire announced that China must increase exports of rare-earth magnets to the United States, or else he will impose "200 percent tariffs" on Beijing.
Russian Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, who is a key figure in Putin's inner circle in domestic politics, arrived in Beijing yesterday on the eve of the Russian leader's upcoming visit to China later this week, where he will meet dozens of world leaders from the Global South, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at a security forum.
Indian exporters are preparing for the entry into force of new 25% tariffs as punishment for Delhi buying Russian oil.
Putin will also be the most honored foreign guest at a military parade in Beijing next week to mark the 80th anniversary of Japan's surrender and the end of World War II.
Ahead of the event, which is expected to be a major public display of China's modernized armed forces, Beijing has launched a public relations campaign whose main message is that China and the former Soviet Union played key roles in the Asian and European theaters of war during World War II.
Sino-Russian relations are "a source of stability for world peace," Xi said.