Xi applauds Putin re-election, hails 'best level' ties
Chinese President Xi Jinping votes during the seventh plenary session of the first session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 19, 2018. Fred Dufour/AFP
BEIJING — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday congratulated Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on his re-election, saying Beijing was willing to work with Moscow to bring ties to a "higher level."
Putin won in a landslide on Sunday, one day after China's parliament unanimously re-appointed Xi to a second term.
READ: Putin overwhelmingly wins another 6 years as Russian leader
Xi has drawn comparison with Putin as the Chinese leader has consolidated power and gained a path to indefinite rule after the rubber-stamp National People's Congress lifted presidential term limits last week.
"Currently, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership is at the best level in history, which sets an example for building a new type of international relations," Xi said in a congratulatory message to Putin, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
"China is willing to work with Russia to keep promoting China-Russia relations to a higher level, provide driving force for respective national development in both countries, and promote regional and global peace and tranquility," Xi said.
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