Putin praises relationship with China as he meets defence minister

In comments opening the meeting in Moscow, Mr Putin praised the general development of Russia-China relations.

Russian president Vladimir Putin has met the Chinese defence minister (Sergei Karpukhin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russian president Vladimir Putin met with China’s defence minister on Sunday, underscoring Beijing’s strengthening engagement with Moscow, with which it has largely aligned its foreign policy in an attempt to diminish the influence of the United States and other Western democracies.

Mr Putin and Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu met with general Li Shangfu less than a month after Chinese leader Xi Jinping held a three-day state visit to Moscow.