Chinese President Xi Jinping has told Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin that relations between the two countries are developing at a high level.

Xi and Mishustin met in Beijing on Wednesday. Mishustin arrived in China the previous day on his first official visit there since he took office.

A Russian state-run news agency reported that Xi hailed the developing ties of the two nations and their cooperation in various fields.

Chinese state-run media quoted Xi as saying China is willing to continue working with Russia to firmly support each other on issues involving each other's core interests.

Xi stressed that China hopes to strengthen collaboration with Russia in multilateral forums such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Group of 20 economies.

Mishustin pointed to growing tension in the international situation. He said Russia and China are jointly standing against attempts by Western nations to use what he called illegal sanctions to maintain their influence on the world and impose their will on other countries.

Analysts say China and Russia are stressing their closer ties in an apparent bid to keep the Group of Seven countries in check. At their recent summit in the western Japanese city of Hiroshima, the G7 nations showed unity in taking a tough stance against Beijing and Moscow.