Putin And Xi Reaffirm Their 'No Limits' Anti-US Alliance

Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping jointly condemned the United States yesterday as they announced even closer strategic ties and reaffirmed their no limits” partnership in defiance of Western pressure.

- ALASTAIR JAMIESON

In a clear snub to Washington, whose top diplomat flew to China last month urging Beijing to scale back its relationship with Moscow, Xi said the two leaders see eye to eye on defence and military cooperation, including the war in Ukraine.

“The China-Russia relationship today is hard-earned, and the two sides need to cherish and nurture it,” Xi told Putin as the leaders met in Beijing. “China is willing to ... jointly achieve the development and rejuvenation of our respective countries, and work together to uphold fairness and justice in the world.”

A joint statement spoke of concerns about what were described as US efforts to violate the strategic nuclear balance, about global US missile defence that threatens Russia and China and about US plans for high-precision non-nuclear weapons. “Together we are defending the principles of justice and a democratic world order reflecting multipolar realities and based on international law,” Putin told Xi.