Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Both men have made diplomatic trips to each others’ capitals.

Xi noted that China-Russia relations had always maintained “healthy and stable development.”

(Feb 8): Chinese President Xi Jinping told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in a phone call on Thursday that the two nations need to work closely to defend security and oppose foreign interference.

Xi said China and Russia need to have close strategic cooperation, adding that they should work together to safeguard their sovereignty, security and development interests, state broadcaster China Central Television reported.

The two leaders have been growing their relationship in the nearly two years since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. Just weeks before the war began, Xi agreed to a “no-limits” friendship with Putin during the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, and signed a series of long-term energy supply deals.

Since then, both men have made diplomatic trips to each others’ capitals. Xi went to Moscow in March last year, where Putin told him that Russia was ready to discuss China’s proposal for ending the war. Then in October, Putin met with Xi in Beijing where the Russian president attended China’s Belt and Road Forum — a “project of the century” for Xi intended to expand Chinese soft power via a web of infrastructure investment.

During Thursday’s phone call, Xi also told Putin that China is willing to strengthen international multilateral cooperation with Russia.

On the last day of the year, the leaders exchanged New Year greeting messages. Xi noted that China-Russia relations had always maintained “healthy and stable development”.

China seeks security along its border with Russia while tapping its neighbour as a new market for some of its cars, televisions and smartphones. The world’s second-largest economy also wants to take advantage of knocked-down prices for Russian oil and gas.

The two leaders also confirmed willingness to promote joint energy projects despite sanctions, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. The call lasted an hour.

Meanwhile, China’s imports from Russia last year surged by the most ever in dollar terms. That jump came as many Western businesses avoid doing business with Russia and their governments hit Moscow with sanctions.

A reliable Russia also can help Xi as he rolls out his vision for an alternative to the US-led world order, and help him protect China’s core interests — including its position on Taiwan, which Beijing considers a breakaway province.