President Vladimir Putin took part in large-scale military exercises Tuesday involving China and several pro-Russian countries as Moscow seeks to strengthen partnerships in Asia amid Western sanctions.

Russia is increasingly isolated as tensions between Moscow and western capitals have risen since Russia deployed troops to pro-western Ukraine on February 24.

Slapped with unprecedented sanctions from Washington and Brussels, Putin has forged closer ties with countries in Africa, South America and Asia — China in particular.

Putin on Tuesday took part in the Vostok 2022 exercises taking place at training grounds in Russia’s Far East and in the waters off its east coast, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told local news outlets.

Peskov was quoted as saying that Putin is meeting with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and military chief of staff Valery Gerasimov at the Sergeyevsky military compound and will later observe the final phase of military exercises.

The exercises, which have involved several of Russia’s neighbors as well as Syria, India and key ally China, began on September 1 and are scheduled to end on Wednesday.

According to Moscow, more than 50,000 soldiers and more than 5,000 military equipment units, including 140 aircraft and 60 ships, should be involved in the exercises.

Similar exercises were last held in 2018.

Putin’s visit to Russia’s Far East continues on Wednesday in the port city of Vladivostok, where he is expected to address the Eastern Economic Forum.

Over 5,000 people will attend the four-day forum, which kicked off Monday with the largest delegation from China, according to the Kremlin.

At the forum’s plenary session, Putin will be joined by China’s top lawmaker Li Zhanshu – third in the Chinese government hierarchy – with a bilateral meeting also on the agenda.

Li will become the top-ranking Communist Party politician to travel to the country since Moscow’s military intervention in Ukraine.

“Russia-China relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation are gradually developing,” the Kremlin said in a statement ahead of the meeting.

It also noted “China’s balanced approach to the Ukraine crisis” and Beijing’s “understanding” of the rationale behind Russia’s offensive.

Beijing and Moscow have grown closer in recent years, intensifying cooperation in a borderless relationship that they describe as a counterbalance to the global dominance of the United States.

Beijing has refused to condemn Moscow’s intervention in Ukraine and has offered diplomatic protection, blowing up Western sanctions and arms sales to Kyiv, escalating tensions between China and the West.

Tensions were further exacerbated during US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to self-governing, democratic Taiwan, which China considers its territory, in August.

Moscow expressed full solidarity with Beijing during the visit, with Putin accusing Washington of “destabilizing” the world.

At the economic forum, Putin was also expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Myanmar junta chief Min Aug Hlaing.

Russia and China have been accused of arming the Myanmar junta with weapons used to target civilians since last year’s coup d’état.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who visited Myanmar and Cambodia in August, received his Thai counterpart Don Pramudvinai in Moscow on Tuesday.

Later in the month, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit scheduled for September 15-16 in Uzbekistan could also become an opportunity for Moscow and Beijing to further cement ties.

A face-to-face meeting is reportedly scheduled between Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who has not left China since 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The two leaders last met in Beijing in early February ahead of the Winter Olympics and days before Putin launched an offensive in Ukraine.