China's top diplomat said Beijing would "strengthen strategic cooperation" with Moscow, Russian state media reported.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in China on a two-day official visit as the two countries seek to strengthen diplomatic ties amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
During the meetings in Wang Yi, he promised: "China will support the stable development of Russia under the leadership of Putin."
"Beijing and Moscow will continue to strengthen their strategic cooperation on the world stage and provide strong support to each other," Wang said.
"The support of the people is the source of progress in Russia. I believe that under the strong leadership of President Putin, the Russian people will have a bright future," he added, according to Russian state newspaper Izvestia.
Lavrov, in turn, thanked China for its "support" following the recent re-election of President Vladimir Putin, in which he was unchallenged by any significant opposition.
"Xi Jinping ... was among the first to send congratulations to President-elect Putin, and we are generally grateful to our Chinese friends for this support," Lavrov said, according to a video of the meeting.
"The results of the elections confirmed the deep trust of the Russian people in our leader and the domestic and foreign policy being pursued. This applies not least to the course of strengthening strategic interaction and partnership with the PRC," he added, according to RIA Novosti, referring to China with its official abbreviation.
Although China claims to be a neutral party in the conflict in Ukraine, it has been criticized for its refusal to condemn Moscow for its offensive.
During a summit last year, leaders Xi and Putin said ties were "entering a new era".
Analysts say China has the upper hand in relations with Russia and that its influence is growing as Moscow's international isolation deepens. /BGNES
