Xi, Putin stress close ties, call for UN-centred international system

Moscow [Russia]/Beijing [Russua], January 22: The leaders of China and Russia stressed their close ties in a video call held just one day after the inauguration of US President Donald Trump.
While Trump advocated for Washington's claim to global supremacy during his inaugural address, Chinese leader Xi Jinping spoke out in favour on Tuesday of a world order based on the rules of the United Nations.
China and Russia jointly support "a UN-centred international system," Xi was quoted as saying by Chinese state television. Putin, who has waged an all-out war on neighbouring Ukraine for nearly three years, praised Russian-Chinese cooperation, saying it stabilizes international politics. Both countries agree "on how relations between large states should look," Putin said, according to the Kremlin.
The Kremlin said the allies' conversation served to continue the traditional coordination between the two leaders at the beginning of the year. China is Russia's largest trading partner, Putin noted, while Russia is China's largest oil supplier.
Talking to reporters in the White House, after his inauguration Trump said of Russian President Vladimir Putin: "He should make a deal. I think he's destroying Russia by not making a deal."
Trump was unprecedentedly stark, focusing on the economic damage done to Russia by the war. "I think Russia is going to be in big trouble. You take a look at their economy. You take a look at their inflation in Russia," he added, referring to price rises edging towards 10%.
The United States, China, Russia, the United Kingdom and France are the permanent members of the most powerful body in the United Nations, the Security Council.
Source: Qatar Tribune