Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in China on Thursday to meet his"dear friend" Xi Jinping as he seeks to win greater support from Beijing for his war effort in Ukraine and his isolated
The Kremlin this week said the two leaders would discuss their"comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation" as well as"define key areas of development of Russian-Chinese cooperation and exchange views on international and regional issues". But after Washington vowed to go after financial institutions that facilitate Moscow, Chinese exports to Russia dipped during March and April, down from a surge early in the year.
"Finding out whether the payments are related to the Russian military-industrial complex... is creating a considerable challenge for Chinese companies and banks," he told AFP.