INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Chinese President Xi Jinping landed in Moscow on Wednesday for a key three-day visit including a grand Victory Day parade and a show of
support for Vladimir Putin.Moscow and Beijing declared a "no-limits partnership" weeks before Putin ordered Russia's Ukraine offensive in
Their expanded military and trade ties since have troubled the West.The visit comes with rising China-United States tensions over biting
United States trade tariffs, while President Donald Trump has also made overtures to Putin in a bid to mediate the conflict in Ukraine.In
an article for Russia's Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper published Wednesday, Xi hailed "resilient" China-Russia ties and called for other
countries to stay out of their relationship."The two sides should jointly resist any attempt to interfere with and undermine the
China-Russia friendship and mutual trust, not be confused by temporary events or disturbed by the rough seas and use the certainty and
resilience of China-Russia strategic cooperation to jointly promote the process of world multipolarization and the building of a community
with a shared future for mankind," he wrote.Xi's arrival was broadcast on Russian state TV.The Kremlin had a day earlier praised
Russia-China relations as a "genuine example" of cooperation and said they were "at their highest point."It said Putin and Xi would discuss
Ukraine and Russia-United States relations at a one-on-one meeting.China's Foreign Ministry said the leaders would "rally the Global South,
shape global governance in the right direction, unequivocally oppose acts of unilateralism and bullying, and jointly promote an equal and
orderly multipolar world," state broadcaster CCTV said.Guest of honorPutin will address the "grandest" ever annual Victory Day parade in
Moscow on Friday for the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II to rally support for his troops fighting in
Ukraine.Xi is to be the guest of honour at the May 9 parade among 29 other foreign leaders, three of whom come from non-recognized or
partially recognized states.Putin has ordered a three-day ceasefire on the Ukraine front lines to coincide with the celebrations.Kyiv has
participating in the parade, calling it "unacceptable" and helping Moscow "whitewash its war crimes."World War II, officially remembered in
Russia as the "Great Patriotic War," had a devastating impact on the Soviet Union, resulting in more than 20 million civilian and military
deaths.Throughout his rule, Putin has tapped into this national trauma, making May 9 Russia's most important public holiday and championing
his army as defenders against fascism.The Kremlin has also drawn parallels between its offensive against Ukraine and the fight against the
Nazis.Fine lineChina has portrayed itself as a neutral party in the more than three-year conflict, although Western governments say its
close ties to Russia have given Moscow crucial economic and diplomatic support.Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky in April accused China
of supplying arms to Russia and alleged Beijing knew of at least 155 Chinese nationals fighting alongside Russian forces.Beijing denied its
citizens were being recruited en masse by Russia and urged Chinese nationals not to become involved in conflicts.It also rejected claims it
was supplying weapons to any side in the war.Over the past decade, China and Russia have deepened their ties however, with Beijing becoming
Moscow's largest trading partner following sweeping Western sanctions.But Russia ranks only as China's fifth-largest trading partner, with
Beijing primarily relying on Moscow for its vast supplies of natural gas and oil.Chinese companies quickly stepped in to fill the void left
