The value of bilateral trade between Russia and China surged to $21.18bn last month, its highest since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022

Analysts say BRI’s shift from investment intensive projects like dams to high-tech ones comes amid Xi's push to export Chinese ideas about governance

The US State Department says price caps on Russian oil lets buyers, like China, "drive a harder bargain" in their purchases

The Commerce Department says the listed entities supplied US-origin integrated circuits to Moscow’s military

Putin has sent an emissary — Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov — instead, and Kremlin said he would “still play a key role in the main summit meeting”

China has repeatedly denied sending military equipment to Russia since Moscow's all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022

The US treasury secretary said she also told Chinese officials they could raise concerns about US actions, and that Washington might "respond to unintended consequences" of its restrictions

Prior to sanctions imposed by the West, which cut Moscow off from international financial systems, Russia made the dividend payments in dollars

Trade between the two countries was worth more than $93.8 billion, highlighting how Beijing has maintained its ‘no limits’ partnership with Moscow

BRICS foreign ministers have asserted their bloc's ambition to rival Western powers and build up their influence in a multi-polar world

When asked about allegations of Beijing targetting Russian scientists, China said Sino-Russian relations were based on "non-alignment, non-confrontation and non-targeting of third parties"

Analysts say original target was China importing 38 bcm of Russia gas by 2025 – that has now jumped to 98 bcm by 2030