Why did Russia’s Putin talk up ‘historic’ China ties at St Petersburg cultural forum?

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently spoke about the strong relationship between Russia and China, suggesting that it has reached an unprecedented level. He made these remarks at the St Petersburg International Cultural Forum, responding to a question about cultural cooperation between the two nations. Putin emphasized the significant cooperation across various sectors, particularly highlighting the anticipated trade turnover of 200 billion dollars for the current year. This statement comes at a time when there's a possibility of the United States and China improving their relationship, which seems to concern Russia. An expert on Russian studies, Wan Qingsong, believes that Putin's comments were intended for the Chinese audience and were likely to be reported by Chinese media. Putin's broader aim appears to be influencing international public opinion, especially in light of recent US-China interactions that have caused unease in Russia. Following a summit in San Francisco, where Chinese leader Xi Jinping met with US President Joe Biden, the two discussed several issues, including the tension between their countries. The Kremlin acknowledged the importance of such meetings between the world's largest economies. Despite the US urging China not to support Russia's military actions in Ukraine, the economic ties between China and Russia have grown stronger, with China becoming a key purchaser of Russian energy. The increase in bilateral trade has been significant, and during a recent forum, Putin noted that they had achieved their trade goals sooner than expected. Putin's visit to China was his first since the conflict in Ukraine began, and it reaffirmed the 'no-limits' partnership between the two countries. Both leaders have met frequently over the years, reinforcing their commitment to mutual support in the face of global challenges.