Chinese leader Xi Jinping welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin as an "old friend" as the two held a series of meetings Tuesday at a time when their countries face both overlapping and differing challenges from the United States.

Relations between China and Russia have deepened in recent years, particularly following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. U.S. President Donald Trump's unorthodox approach to the war has added a twist to the relationship but doesn't appear to have fundamentally changed it.

Putin addressed Xi as "dear friend" and said that Moscow's ties with Beijing are "at an unprecedentedly high level."

In a sign of the importance China places on the relationship, their formal meeting was followed by tea with top aides at Zhongnanhai, the walled complex that

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