Russia and China agreed to continue cooperating on “the sustainable development of the Arctic” as part of a deep strategic partnership, according to Eye on the Arctic.

In a joint statement issued Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin made several references to the Arctic.

“The sides agreed to continue consistently intensifying practical cooperation for the sustainable development of the Arctic”, a press release reads.

The agreement is a most detailed and assertive statement of Russian and Chinese determination to work together – and against the United States – to build a new international order based on their own interpretations of human rights and democracy, Reuters writes .

Both leaders met in Beijing before taking part in the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics.