Russia, China Developing High-tech Weapons - Putin

By Staff, Agencies

Russia and China are jointly working to develop state-of-the-art weapons, Russian President Vladimir Putin told his Q&A session on Thursday.

"The Chinese Army is largely equipped with the most advanced weapons systems. We even develop individual high-tech weapons [such as aircraft and helicopters] together,” Putin stressed, citing the two sides' collaboration in the space and aviation sectors.

The two countries, he added, also "develop cooperation between the armed forces," which includes "joint military exercises" and "participation in international war games" as well as "joint patrolling at sea and in the air."

Separately, Putin touted his "very trustful personal relationship" with Chinese President Xi Jinping, something that he said "helps in business."

In this regard, Putin pointed to Moscow bolstering economic cooperation with Beijing, adding: “Asia is developing rapidly, with China being the undisputed leader [in this process].”

Putin said that Moscow and Beijing "have already had a turnover of over one hundred billion [dollars]" and that both sides are "working in different directions,” including those related to nuclear energy, space, and human rights.