China - Russia Relations: Two Sides To Meet Over 'Development Of Bilateral Relations'

China's top leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to meet virtually Wednesday to discuss bilateral relations and international issues, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Monday.

Though both leaders are meeting amid tensions between Russia and Ukraine, it is unclear whether Xi and Putin will discuss the conflict.

“The two heads of state will give a full review of China-Russia relations and cooperation in various fields this year,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a daily briefing on Monday, adding that details would be released after Wednesday’s video meeting.

Wang added the leaders will also “make top-level designs for the development of bilateral relations next year.”

President Joe Biden recently met with Putin and warned of potential economic sanctions "like none he's ever seen," should Russian troops attack Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Western countries have also been raising alarms over Russian military activity. G7 leaders met over the weekend to discuss Russia's military buildup along the Ukraine border.

Ukrainian defense officials say Russia has increased the troop presence to 120,000 military personnel.

​​China is not part of the G7 and was also a focal part of the group’s discussions at the weekend-long meeting, Reuters noted.

China and Russia share a border that stretches over 2,600 miles.

China has increasingly aligned its foreign policies with its neighbor to counter U.S. domination of the international economic and political order. Both have also faced sanctions over their internal policies, China over abuses against minorities, especially Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang, and for its crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong.

Beijing and Washington also remain at odds over trade, technology and China’s military intimidation of Taiwan.

Nonetheless, Xi’s position on Ukraine remains unclear though China’s foreign ministry said he spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in July.

In late November, Russia signed a roadmap for closer military ties with China, revealing that the two sides are building stronger relations.

“It’s the strongest, closest and best relationship that the two countries have had since at least the mid-1950s. And possibly ever,” Nigel Gould-Davies, Senior Fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, told Al Jazeera.