China has awarded its highest state honour to Russian President Vladimir Putin, a move experts say signals the close relationship between the two countries at a time when their ties with the United States are under strain.

The Friendship Medal of the People’s Republic of China was presented to Mr Putin personally by Chinese President Xi Jinping during a grand ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing yesterday.

Associate Professor Li Mingjiang of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies said China and Russia had been cooperating since the late 1990s as they “responded to quite similar pressures from the West”.

“For China, its best friend has always been Russia, and for Russia, China is a strategic partner, so this award is really a reflection of the special relationship that has existed for a few decades,” he said.