Vlad, I think this is the middle of a beautiful friendship

Sino-Russian ties are as unshakeable as ever.

On Wednesday, Xi Jinping had a one-on-one with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in town for – what else – the Belt and Road Forum (BRF).

Putin always makes time for the BRF: He has attended all three and was the guest of honor at this year’s event.

Xi emphasized to Putin the importance of (Gov.cn):

• “Developing permanent good-neighborly friendship, comprehensive strategic cooperation, and mutually beneficial cooperation in China-Russia relations”

Xi threw his support behind Moscow's right to address its national security issues (ahem, Ukraine):

• “China supports the Russian people in...safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and development interests.”

Putin noted that he discussed Ukraine and the Israel-Palestine conflict with Xi, saying (Russian President's Office 2):

• “All these external factors amount to common threats, and they strengthen Russian-Chinese interaction.”

Get smart: Putin’s right.

• Despite the reputational costs to China for supporting Russia, Beijing and Moscow's joint aversion to the Western-dominated world order provides a strong basis for their ironclad friendship.

The bottom line: Russia is far too important an ideological ally for China to cast aside.

• China and Russia will only get closer, whether the West likes it or not.