China’s Foreign Ministry says President Xi Jinping met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the fourth Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok this week.

Both countries, each experiencing friction with the United States over trade and other issues, agreed to bolster bilateral ties.

The two leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation on science, technology, energy and agricultural sector. 

The two countries also displayed stronger partnership on the military area with the Chinese military participating in Russia’s largest-ever military drills, known as East-2018, on Tuesday.