(MENAFN) Vyacheslav Volodin, chairman of Russia’s State Duma, met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing to deliver greetings and best wishes from President Vladimir Putin. The meeting comes as Putin prepares for a four-day visit to China next week.

Volodin highlighted to Xi that the personal rapport between the Russian and Chinese leaders has guided cooperation across multiple sectors and pledged to uphold decisions made at the leadership level. He also updated Xi on the 10th session of the inter-parliamentary commission between Russia’s Federal Assembly and China’s National People’s Congress, held earlier in the day.

The session addressed issues such as countering Western sanctions and other external interference in domestic affairs, while also exploring ways to expand trade, economic relations, and humanitarian collaboration.

Since the 2022 escalation of the Ukraine conflict, China has refrained from joining Western sanctions against Russia and has maintained close economic relations.

During the meeting, Xi praised the growing partnership with Russia, stressing that the two nations should “continue the traditional friendship” and “deepen strategic mutual trust.” He described the bilateral relationship as among the most stable, mature, and strategically important among major powers.

Putin’s upcoming trip will feature extensive discussions with Xi and participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit. Russian reports indicate it will be Putin’s longest foreign trip since 2014.

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