China pushed back against recent remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, declaring that Washington could never "sow discord" in its ties with Moscow. Newsweek reached out to the White House and the Russian Foreign Ministry via email for comment.

Analysts say China's vote has to be seen in the context of a changing world order, where Donald Trump is upending America’s long-held role as a leading global player.

US attempts to sow discord between China and Russia were "doomed to fail", Beijing said on Thursday, after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared to outline Washington's strategy to dilute ties between the two nuclear-powered neighbours.

Chinese President Xi Jinping told senior Kremlin aide Sergei Shoigu on Friday that the two countries were "true friends like steel repeatedly tempered by fire", according to state broadcaster CCTV. "Both sides should continue to strengthen their coordination in international and regional matters,

Sergei Shoigu, the secretary of Russia's Security Council, met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, Russia's TASS state news agency reported on Friday.

President Donald Trump’s rapprochement with Russia has some experts suggesting he might be trying to do a “reverse Nixon” and isolate Beijing by courting Moscow.

Coming to terms with realignment in Europe, the early signs of Trump’s China strategy, Taiwan stands by Ukraine, Chinese air defense sales to Central Asia, and much more.

Putin welcomed the idea of sweeping joint defense cuts and suggested the world's biggest defense spender could join.