Moscow, Feb 5 (AP) Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping held a video call on Wednesday to discuss the burgeoning economic cooperation between Moscow and Beijing and their relations with the United States. The Kremlin leader accepted an invitation to visit China twice this year.

The call came amid a series of meetings between Xi and Western leaders who have sought to boost ties with China despite differences over the conflict in Ukraine. European leaders have pressed China for years to end its support for Russia even as Beijing has become the No 1 trading partner for Moscow, which seeks relief from Western economic sanctions.

"I would like to once again assure you of firm support for our shared efforts to ensure the sovereignty and security of our countries, our socio-economic welfare and the right to choose our own development path," Putin said in opening remarks that were broadcast by Russian state television.

Many of America's closest partners are exploring opportunities with China following clashes with President Donald Trump over tariffs and his demands to take over Greenland from NATO ally Denmark. The Xi-Putin call followed visits by the British and Canadian prime ministers to Beijing last month. The German chancellor is also expected to visit in February.

"Amid the growing global turbulence, the foreign policy link between Moscow and Beijing has remained a major stabilising factor," Putin said.

Growing Russia-China relations Xi said that he and Putin would discuss plans for the development of bilateral ties and "exchange views on major strategic issues," according to a Russian translation of his opening remarks. He noted the two countries need to "use a historic opportunity to continue deepening strategic cooperation." Noting that Wednesday was the first day of spring according to the Chinese calendar, Xi said he would Iike to work with Putin on "a new blueprint for China-Russia relations" on a day that symbolises new beginnings, an online report from Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said.

Putin said that "any season is springtime in Russia-China relations." He praised their "strategic" energy ties along with cooperation on the peaceful use of nuclear energy and high-tech projects, including in the industrial sphere and space research. He specifically applauded China's decision to allow visa-free entry for Russians, a move that Moscow reciprocated.

Xi noted that the two had led their countries' relations to a new stage of development in the past year and that their trade and economic exchanges are progressing steadily, CCTV said.

The Chinese leader called for close high-level exchanges and pragmatic cooperation to ensure the further development of ties with deeper strategic cooperation and more active great power responsibility, Chinese state media reported.

Putin and Xi mentioned the visit to Beijing last weekend by Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu, who met China's top foreign policy official, Wang Yi. They agreed their countries should maintain close ties in a turbulent world, state media reported.

Putin and Xi discuss ties with the US Putin's foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov, who briefed reporters after the Putin-Xi call, emphasised that Moscow and Beijing "support each other on key issues concerning national interests in the face of external challenges." Ushakov said Xi invited Putin to visit China in the first half of the year and the Russian leader accepted. Putin will also attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit that China will host in Shenzhen in November, he added.

Putin and Xi exchanged views about their countries' relations with the US, Ushakov said, noting they "practically coincide," including their assessment of US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace.

"Russia and China stand for equal and mutually beneficial cooperation on the basis of international law and the United Nations Charter," Ushakov said.

Putin had previously thanked Trump for the invitation to join the Board of Peace and said Moscow would consider it. He also offered to earmark USD 1 billion from the Russian assets frozen in the US to help rebuild Gaza.

China has not commented directly on the Board of Peace, other than to say it was invited to join. Asked about Trump's new organisation replacing the UN, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said China will uphold the international system with the UN at its core, no matter how the international landscape changes.

Ushakov noted Putin and Xi shared the view that contacts with Trump's administration could offer new opportunities, adding that the Chinese leader supported the talks by Russian, Ukrainian and US negotiators in Abu Dhabi. The second round of those talks began Wednesday.

During the call, Putin noted that Washington has not responded to his proposal for an one-year extension of the US-Russian New START nuclear arms treaty, which expires Thursday.

Putin emphasised that "in this situation we will act in a balanced and responsible manner based on a thorough analysis of the security situation," and noted Russia would "remain open to searching for ways of negotiations to ensure strategic stability," the Kremlin adviser said.

Ushakov also said that Putin reaffirmed Russia's support for Beijing's policy on Taiwan, the "One China Principle." Also discussed were the tensions involving Iran and the situation in Venezuela and Cuba, Ushakov said. "They spoke for the preservation of the level of cooperation reached between our countries with Caracas and Havana," he said.

The Putin-Xi call came just before the Chinese leader's conversation with Trump.

Trump said on Wednesday that he and Xi discussed the situation in Iran in a wide-ranging call as the US administration pushes Beijing and others to further isolate Tehran.

Trump said the two leaders also discussed a broad range of other critical issues in the US-China relationship, including trade and Taiwan and his plans to visit Beijing in April. (AP) RUK RUK