A s president xi jinping stood shoulder to shoulder with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, watching Russian and Chinese soldiers marching across Red Square on May 9th, they could have been mistaken for equals.

The Chinese leader begins a long four-day visit to Russia this week to "further strengthen their close relationship," according to a Beijing spokesperson. The Chinese army's Honor Guard paraded through the streets of Moscow on Sunday night.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in Russia for a four-day trip to mark Victory Day commemorations. He is also due to hold talks with Vladimir Putin, and the two leaders are expected to sign several cooperation agreements.