CHINA and Russia were the key victors of World War II, Chinese President Xi Jinping said today during a Beijing meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Mr Xi welcomed Mr Putin for talks as an “old friend,” reflecting the increasingly warm relations between the two countries.

The talks came aftrer both leaders attended a summit of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) in the nearby Chinese city of Tianjin on Monday and the day before a grand Chinese military parade in Beijing to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

The Soviet Union remained neutral for much of the war in Asia but had previously provided assistance to China against invading Japanese forces in the 1930s. 

It also declared war on Japan in the last days of World War II and sent troops over the border into Japanese-occupied north-eastern China.

“We were always together then; we remain together now,” Mr Putin said.

Mr Xi said: “On May 9 and September 3, we take part in celebrations marking the victory in the world anti-fascist war as each other’s guests. 

“This has become a good tradition in bilateral relations, which conclusively demonstrates the great responsibility that China and Russia bear as the key victor countries of World War II and permanent members of the United Nations security council.”

According to Mr Xi, the leaders’ participation in these celebrations highlights both countries’ determination to protect the truth about World War II.

A massive parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory will take place in Beijing on September 3, with some 26 world leaders joining the Chinese and Russian presidents.

Among them will be North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who arrived in Beijing today.

It will be Mr Kim’s first attendance at a major multilateral event since he came to power 14 years ago and the first time that he, Mr Xi and Mr Putin have gathered at the same venue. 

The series of talks and the celebrations follows a SCO summit that was notable for the first visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to China in seven years.

He held bilateral talks with the Chinese and Russian presidents on the margins of the summit.

US President Donald Trump's steep tariffs on imports from India and the tone coming from the White House have pushed New Delhi closer to China and Russia, though Mr Modi will not attend China’s celebration.