Putin Discusses With Xi Jinping, Strengthens Russia-China Strategic Cooperation

JAKARTA - Russian President Vladimir Putin held a teleconference conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Putin proposed further development of a strategic partnership, just hours after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th US president.

Putin waved at Xi and called Xi's chairman his "friend". Putin said he wanted to outline a new plan for the development of a comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation for Russia-Chinese.

"I agree with you that the cooperation between Moscow and Beijing is based on common national interests and the convergence of views on relations between the major countries that should be," Putin told Xi.

We build our relationship on the basis of friendship, mutual trust and support, equality and mutual benefit. This relationship is independent, does not depend on domestic political factors and the current global situation," he said.

Russia, which wages a war against NATO-supplied Ukrainian forces and China, which is under pressure from its joint US efforts to counter its growing military and economic power, is increasingly finding the same geopolitical goals.

Putin and Xi seek to describe the West as a decadent and setbackd country.

Meanwhile, the United States considers China its biggest competitor and Russia its biggest threat.

Former US President Joe Biden said democracies in the world face challenges from authoritarian countries such as China and Russia.