(CNN)China and Russia are publicly heralding a new age of diplomacy between the two countries, at a time when both are being targeted by the United States with punitive measures.
During a visit to Moscow on Thursday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was quoted as saying relations between two countries were at "the best level in history."
It comes as the United States has announced further sweeping trade actions targeted at China, revealing another $100 billion in possible tariffs on Thursday night.
Meanwhile Russia faces an ongoing, international diplomatic fallout following the poisoning of former Russian double agent in the United Kingdom, for which London blames the Kremlin.
Putin to visit China as leaders consolidate power at home
Putin to visit China as leaders consolidate power at home
"China's asserting the viability of an alternate world order, one which is separate to and stands up to America ... They've both got reason to push back against the United States," Richard McGregor, senior fellow at Sydney's Lowy Institute, told CNN.
Wang is wrapping up a visit to Moscow where the senior Chinese diplomat met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is planning to pay a state visit to Beijing in June.
During the same visit, China's new defense minister Gen. Wei Fenghe said Beijing was ready to join with Moscow to express "our common concerns and common position on important international problems."
"The Chinese side has come (to Moscow) to show Americans the close ties between the armed forces of China and Russia ... we've come to support you," he said.
McGregor said while the two countries had grown closer in the past decade, it was hard to tell exactly how deep the affection ran and how much was simply for show.
"That's always been the big question -- how much is this a partnership of convenience? To what extent are they putting down genuine roots, for two countries who haven't really liked each other," he said.
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