Xi Jinping (left) and Vladimir Putin pose for a photo in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Thursday. AP

Sitting across from each other at two long rounded tables and flanked by aides, the two leaders met on the sidelines of a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in ex-Soviet Uzbekistan.

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Russia's Putin in Uzbekistan for regional summit Xi meeting

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The meeting was part of Xi's first trip abroad since the early days of the pandemic and for Putin a chance to show Russia has not been fully isolated despite Western efforts.

"China is willing to make efforts with Russia to assume the role of great powers, and play a guiding role to inject stability and positive energy into a world rocked by social turmoil," Xi told Putin at the talks.

Vladimir Putin meets with Xi Jinping in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Thursday. AFP

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV also quoted Xi as saying China was willing to work with Russia to support "each other's core interests".

Putin took a clear broadside at the United States, which has been leading efforts to support Ukraine and impose sanctions on Russia.

"Attempts to create a unipolar world have recently acquired an absolutely ugly form and are completely unacceptable," Putin said.

"We highly appreciate the balanced position of our Chinese friends in connection with the Ukrainian crisis," Putin told Xi, while reiterating Moscow's backing for China on Taiwan.

"We adhere to the principle of one China. We condemn the provocation of the US and their satellites in the Taiwan Strait," Putin said, after a US Senate committee on Wednesday took the first step towards Washington directly providing billions of dollars in military aid to Taiwan.

Agence France-Presse