Chinese President Xi Jinping has described Russia’s Vladimir Putin as his “best friend” during a three-day visit to Moscow focusing on trade and relations between the two countries.
The visit comes as China-US relations have soured over a bitter trade war.
Russia had decided on a pivot to the east years ago after ties worsened with the West over the Ukraine conflict.
The two sides have signed a package of trade deals and Mr Xi also brought two pandas for the Moscow zoo.
The Chinese president arrived on Wednesday and later gave a press conference where he said he had a “deep personal friendship” with his Russian counterpart.
“In the past six years, we have met nearly 30 times. Russia is the country that I have visited the most times, and President Putin is my best friend and colleague,” Mr Xi said.
Mr Putin echoed the praise saying he was “pleased to say that Russian-Chinese relations have reached an unprecedented level. It is a global partnership and strategic cooperation.”
The alliance between the two countries has intensified since both Moscow and Beijing feel alienated by Europe and especially the US.
Moscow’s relationship with the West turned sour when Russia was put under sanctions for its involvement in the Ukraine conflict five years ago. It has also been criticised for assisting the Assad regime in Syria in 2015.
