Putin and Xi get together in Kazakhstan at summit of non-western countries

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands during their meeting on the side-lines of the Shanghai Co-operation (Sergey Guneyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on Wednesday for the second time in as many months as they visited Kazakhstan for a session of an international group founded to counter Western alliances.

Mr Putin and Mr Xi last got together in May when the Kremlin leader visited Beijing to underscore their close partnership that opposes the US-led democratic order and seeks to promote a more “multipolar” world.