Putin in China to cement key alliance Putin in China to cement key alliance

CHINA: Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in China on Tuesday for a three-day visit aimed at bolstering a crucial alliance that has seen the giant neighbours block further action against Syria.

Both energy and foreign policy cooperation are high on the agenda, with Putin also participating in a regional summit Wednesday and Thursday where he will separately meet the presidents of Iran and Afghanistan.

Putin's China trip, his first to Asia since starting an historic third term last month, comes after failed attempts by EU leaders to sway him on Syria -- a Soviet-era ally Moscow still supplies with arms.

Beijing and Moscow have walked in lockstep on Syria to growing anger from Arab and Western nations, with EU President Herman Van Rompuy telling Putin in Russia on Monday that world powers needed to “find common messages on which we agree”.

Known for confronting the West repeatedly during his 2000-2008 presidency, Putin pointedly skirted the issue of Syria during Monday's briefing with EU leaders, noting only that “our positions do not coincide on every issue”.

Putin has been keen to play up the importance of Russia's at-times uneasy ties with China, which have grown stronger in the past year as both used their veto power on the UN Security Council to block action against Damascus.

AFP