by Anastasia Lyrchikova

MOSCOW, December 15 (Reuters) – Russian Presidents Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping showed a united front against the West at a video conference summit on Wednesday, promising that Russia and China would stand firm and each other in the face of any interference would defend security interests.

This conversation takes place eight days after a remote meeting between Vladimir Putin and his American counterpart Joe Biden amid high diplomatic tensions between Washington, Beijing and Moscow on many topics, starting with Taiwan and Ukraine.

“Today, under the guise of ‘democracy’ and ‘human rights’, some international forces are interfering in the internal affairs of China and Russia, trampling on international law and recognized standards of international relations,” said Xi, quoted by the official China Neue Agency.

“China and Russia must step up their joint efforts to more effectively safeguard the security interests of both sides,” he added.

The Chinese President in particular supported Vladimir Poutine in his quest for “security guarantees” for Russia’s western flank with the West, Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov told the press. Xi Jinping said he understood the other person’s concerns.

The two leaders also expressed their opposition to the formation of new military alliances such as the aukus between Australia, Great Britain and the United States or the “Quad” grouping in the Indo-Pacific region (Australia, India, Japan, USA). United), added Yuri Ushakov.

POUTINE can hardly wait for the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing

According to the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin briefed Xi Jinping on the content of the conversation he had with Joe Biden last week, in which the US President warned Russia of aggression from Ukraine.

“A new model of cooperation has been introduced between our countries, based among other things on principles such as non-interference in internal affairs and respect for mutual interests,” said Vladimir Putin to Xi, quoted by the Russian presidency.

The Kremlin chief said he was eager to meet Xi at the Beijing Winter Olympics in February’s Xinjiang region.

“I would like to point out that we support each other without exception on issues of international sport cooperation, including the rejection of any attempts to politicize sport and the Olympic movement,” said the Russian President.

Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping agreed last June to extend a Sino-Russian friendship and cooperation agreement signed in 2001 by five years.

According to the Russian leader, trade between the two countries rose 31% to $ 123 billion in the first eleven months of this year and the two countries have set a target of 200 billion for the near future.

(With Ryan Woo and Ella Cao in Beijing; French version Jean-Stéphane Brosse)