Russian President Vladimir Putin is pictured at a meeting with heads of major international news agencies attending the 29th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), in St. Petersburg, Russia, on June 4, 2026. (Xinhua/Hao Jianwei)

ST. PETERSBURG, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that China is developing robustly and playing an increasingly important role in the global economy, world politics and international affairs.

At a meeting with heads of major international news agencies attending the 29th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Putin said that the sound relations between the Russian and Chinese heads of state serve as a solid foundation for continuously opening up new prospects for bilateral ties.

The 29th SPIEF, themed "Pragmatic Dialogue: The Path to a Stable Future," focuses on fostering new models of global development amid ongoing transformations in the world economy. ■