Chinese President Xi Jinping has vowed to promote “world peace” in a New Year’s message to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.

“No matter how the international situation changes, China will remain steadfast in further comprehensively deepening reform … and promoting world peace and development,” Xi said on Tuesday, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

Since Putin’s full-scale invasion of neighbouring Ukraine in February 2022, China has sought to present itself as a neutral party – unlike the United States and other Western nations.

But it remains a close political and economic partner of Russia, leading some NATO members to brand Beijing an “enabler” of the war.

According to CCTV, Xi told Putin: “In the face of rapidly evolving changes not seen in a century and the turbulent international situation, China and Russia have consistently moved forward hand-in-hand along the correct path of non-alignment, non-confrontation, and not targeting any third party.”

The two presidents share a strong personal bond with Xi calling his Russian counterpart his “best friend” and Putin cherishing his “reliable partner”.

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Their relationship has been a constant despite a decade of growing friction with Western countries, exemplified by Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Xi noted to Putin that 2024 marked the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia, according to CCTV, “representing a new important milestone in the relationship between the two countries”.

“After three-quarters of a century of ups and downs, China-Russia relations have become increasingly mature and stable,” Xi said.

Meanwhile, in his New Year’s speech on Tuesday, Xi said no one can stop China’s “reunification” with Taiwan, laying down a clear warning to what Beijing regards as pro-independence forces within and outside of the island of 23 million people.

“The people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family. No one can sever our family bonds, and no one can stop the historical trend of national reunification,” said China’s leader.

Tensions have remained high throughout the year in the sensitive Taiwan Strait, especially after William Lai Ching-te, deemed a “separatist” by Beijing, became the island’s latest president in May.