The Chinese leader Xi Jinping welcomed his “old friend”, Russian President Vladimir Putin, to Beijing on Tuesday for a series of meetings.
It comes as both countries face overlapping and differing challenges from the United States.
Putin referred to Xi as a “dear friend” and said his country’s ties with Beijing are “at an unprecedentedly high level”.
The two leaders’ relationship has deepened in recent years, particularly following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
After formal talks took place, the pair met over tea with some of their top aides.
On Wednesday, an elaborate Chinese military parade is scheduled to take place in Beijing, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
The Soviet Union was neutral for much of the war in Asia, but did assist China in early fighting against invading Japanese forces in the 1930s.
It also declared war on Japan in the last days of World War II, and sent troops over the border into Japanese-occupied northeastern China.
“We were always together then; we remain together now,” Putin said.
North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, is heading to Beijing to attend the military parade with his Chinese and Russian counterparts, according to North Korea’s state media.
China has said it remains neutral in Russia’s war with Ukraine, but has provided economic support for Russia by continuing trade, despite sanctions from the West.
Some Chinese companies have been accused of abetting the military industry.
The talks come just a day after the two leaders attended a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in the nearby city of Tianjin.
During the summit, both Xi and Putin were joined by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for separate talks.
US President Donald Trump has imposed steep tariffs on India, pushing India closer to China and Russia; however, it has been confirmed that Modi will not attend China’s military parade.
Putin and Xi also held a three-way meeting with the Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa.
In opening remarks, Putin said that the three countries are good neighbours with a shared interest in developing ties, adding the three countries “have much in common.”
Last year, Putin made an official visit to Mongolia, where the government ignored calls to arrest him on an International Criminal Court warrant for alleged war crimes, stemming from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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