BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday congratulated his Russian counterpart on his re-election, saying Vladimir Putin’s victory fully reflects the Russian people's support for him and that Beijing is ready to promote close strategic ties with Moscow further.
In recent years, the Russian people have united as one, overcome challenges, and made steady progress towards national development and revitalisation, Xi said in his congratulatory message to Putin.
The re-election of Putin as president fully reflects the Russian people's support for him, Xi, who shared close relations with Putin, said, the official media here reported.
Russia will surely make greater achievements in national development and construction under Putin's leadership, Xi said.
Noting that Beijing attaches great importance to the development of China-Russia relations, Xi said China stands ready to maintain close communication with Russia to promote the sustained, sound, stable and in-depth development of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era to benefit the two nations and their people.
Xi maintained close ties with Putin ever since he took over the leadership of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) in 2012 and transformed the China-Russian relationship into a comprehensive strategic partnership.
Both leaders firmed up the bilateral ties after Russia launched the war against Ukraine.
Though China claims to be neutral in the Ukraine-Russia war, Beijing has refused to condemn the Russian military action against Ukraine and blamed NATO for engaging in five rounds of eastward expansion in the last two decades, prompting Moscow to take measures to defend its security and sovereignty.
China also benefitted by increasing the import of Russian oil and gas at cheaper rates.