China gives Russia 2 pandas, sign of deepening trust and respect

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping visit the Moscow Zoo. (Sputnik/Alexander Vilf/Kremlin via REUTERS)

Xi unveiled the pandas - Ru Yi and Ding Ding - after talks with Putin whom he called his "best friend" at the start of a three-day visit that will see him attend Russia's flagship economic forum in St Petersburg later this week.

The pandas, who could be seen chomping bamboo as Xi and Putin arrived, will be living in a specially built enclosure. Beijing has loaned them to Moscow for 15 years as part of a joint research project.

A giant panda sits in the enclosure before Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping visit the Moscow Zoo. (Sputnik/Alexander Vilf/Kremlin via REUTERS)

Xi's visit to Russia comes with Moscow's ties with the West at post-Cold War lows and with Beijing's relations with the United States strained over a trade war. Both powers are eager to show they are strengthening ties.

The leaders promised to deepen military technical cooperation at talks in Moscow, while Russian and Chinese businesses signed an array of deals.

"Over the past six years we have met almost 30 times ... Putin is my best friend and a good colleague," Xi said in comments published on the Kremlin's website.

Standing alongside Xi after the talks, Putin thanked China for entrusting the pandas to Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping view the pandas at the Moscow Zoo. (Sputnik/Alexander Vilf/Kremlin via REUTERS)

​"This is a gesture of particular respect and trust in Russia. When we talk about pandas, we always end up with a smile on our faces. We accept this gift with great respect and gratitude," Putin said.

"These animals are a national symbol for China, and we greatly value this gesture of friendship," he said.

The pandas were given to Russia at the end of April after Putin visited Beijing, but were only unveiled to the public on Wednesday.

Huawei to develop 5G in Russia

Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) applaud as Guo Ping (2nd left), Deputy Chairman of the Board and Rotating Chairman of Huawei, shakes hands with Alexei Kornya (2nd right), President and CEO of Russian mobile phone operator MTS, during a signing ceremony in Moscow. (Maxim SHIPENKOV/POOL/AFP)

China's Huawei, on Jun 5 signed a deal with Russian telecoms company MTS to develop a 5G network in the country over the next year.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of a meeting between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

The deal will see "the development of 5G technologies and the pilot launch of fifth generation networks in 2019-2020", MTS said in a statement.

Quoted in the statement, Huawei's Guo Ping, said he was "very happy" with the agreement "in an area of strategic importance like 5G".

The Chinese telecom giant has been in turmoil since May, when the Trump administration banned US companies from selling high-tech equipment to Huawei over suspicions it is spying for Beijing.

Experts say the US decision, to come into force within three months, threatens the survival of the company, which is highly dependent on US chips for its phones.

Several companies have already distanced themselves from Huawei, including Google, whose Android system equips the vast majority of smartphones in the world./.

VNF/Reuters/AFP