ABSTRACT
While the two statements available on the websites vary in length - the Russian statement runs into 5000 words,2 while the Chinese statement is crisper and is about 1200 words.3 Another difference between the two statements on the websites posts about the Putin-Xi meeting is that Russia calls out countries by names for being disruptors of peace in the international system, while China without mentioning countries' names, talks about disruptors to peace in the international system. [...]Russia states how the trilateral security partnership between Australia, the US and the UK (AUKUS) is a concerning development in international relations, how Japan's plans on the destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant are deeply concerning, how the U.S. plans in the Asia-Pacific and in the European regions are "risks to international and regional security", how Russia and China through the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) grouping, aim at deepened strategic partnerships and how the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) aims at enhancing a "polycentric world order". On the eve of the 2013 state visit of Xi to Moscow, he remarked that the two sides were forging a "special relationship". Landmark contracts were signed in 2015 for the sale of Su-35 combat aircraft and S-400 air defense systems worth USD 5 billion.10 There have also been a series of transactions involving the transfer of helicopters, submarine technology and aircraft engines.