(BBC News) Russian leader Vladimir Putin said his ties with Chinese President Xi Jinping are at an “unprecedented level” as the two met in Beijing on the eve of a massive military parade.
Putin described Xi as a dear friend; Chinese state media said relations were exemplary. Russia is to increase supplies of gas to China, while Beijing will offer visa-free travel to Russians during a year-long trial.
Xi is also preparing to welcome North Korea’s Kim Jong Un in what appears to be a show of solidarity with both aggressors in the Ukraine war.
Xi will host China’s largest-ever military parade on Wednesday to mark the 80th anniversary of the formal surrender of the Japanese at the end of World War Two.
In May, Xi visited Moscow for Russia’s celebrations to mark the defeat of the Nazis.
Russia and North Korea rely on China to bolster their economies, and these meetings will allow the Chinese leader to signal the extent of his power and influence – at a time when Donald Trump is trying to do a deal with Putin to end the war in Ukraine.
All three will stand shoulder to shoulder on Wednesday as tens of thousands of troops march through the Chinese capital.
