MOSCOW, (Reuters) –Russia and China demanded that NATO stop its expansion. Moscow however stated it was in support of Beijing’s stance towards Taiwanese independence and supported the stance taken by Beijing.

The Russian President Vladimir Putin visited China during the Winter Olympics to issue the joint statement. It included harsh criticisms of the United States.

Kremlin stated that Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Beijing. The Kremlin described this relationship as an “advanced partnership” with a unique character.

Putin announced a significant new deal for gas with China. This is a sign that the relations between these two countries are improving at a time when there has been high tension with the West.

According to the joint statement, “The Russian side has reaffirmed its support for One-China Principle, confirmed that Taiwan is an inalienable Part of China and opposed any form of independence from Taiwan.”

Both countries were concerned about the “progression of U.S. Plans to Develop Global Missile Defense and Deploy Its Elements in Different Regions of The World, together with Capacity Building of High-Precision Non-Nuclear Weapons for Disarming Strikes and Other Strategic Objectives.”

The group vowed to oppose further expansion of NATO’s U.S. leadership and demanded that the alliance abandon its Cold War-style approaches.

In its dispute with the West about Ukraine, the Kremlin demands that NATO stop adding new members eastwardly. While the United States rejected certain of Moscow’s main proposals, it said that they are open to discussing other issues such as arms control.

The joint statement stated that China supported Russia’s proposal to establish legally binding security guarantee in Europe.

According to the Kremlin, the presidents discussed expanding trade in national currencies due to the unpredictable nature of the dollar’s use.

U.S. President Joe Biden stated that Russian businesses could lose the right to transact in dollars if Russia invades Ukraine.