Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Moscow next week

"At the invitation of President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation, President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Russia from March 20 to 22," the statement read.

The visit is being seen as a powerful show of China's support for Russia in Western countries, where leaders have grown increasingly wary of the two nations' deepening partnership as war rages in Europe, according to CNN

Meanwhile, in China, while addressing the presser, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that President Xi's upcoming state visit to Russia will be a trip for friendship. It will further deepen mutual trust and mutual understanding between China and Russia and cement the political foundation and public support for the long-standing friendship between the two peoples, according to the statement released by China's foreign ministry.

"In recent years, President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin have maintained close exchanges. They have charted the course and provided guidance for the sustained sound and steady growth of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era. The two sides have found a path of major-country relations featuring strategic trust, good neighbourliness and cooperation, setting a new model for international relations," the statement read.

"During his upcoming state visit to Russia, President Xi will have an in-depth exchange of views with President Putin on bilateral relations and major international and regional issues of mutual interest, boost strategic coordination and practical cooperation between the two countries and inject new impetus into the growth of bilateral relations," it added.

President Xi's visit will be a trip for cooperation. It will boost mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation across the board, form greater synergy and deepen cooperation between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Eurasian Economic Union, and help both countries achieve their respective goals of development and rejuvenation, Wenbin said.

Xi's visit will be a trip for peace. On the basis of no alliance, no confrontation and no targeting of any third party, China and Russia will continue to practice true multilateralism, promote greater democracy in international relations, work towards building a multi-polar world, improve global governance and contribute to development and progress in the world, he added.

While responding to a media query over China providing assistance to Russia, the foreign ministry spokesperson said, "I would like to reiterate that China always handles export of military items in a prudent and responsible manner and regulates the export of dual-use articles in accordance with relevant laws and regulations. At the same time, we are consistently opposed to unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction with neither basis in international law nor UN Security Council mandate. China's consistent position and practice stands in sharp contrast with the acts of certain countries that apply double standards on arms sales and keep adding fuel to the fire on the Ukraine crisis", according to the statement. (ANI)