The most important task for Russia and China is to counter any attempt by the United States to contain their countries, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin told the Chinese foreign minister on Tuesday.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to impose steep tariffs on China and other countries, raising fears of a trade war and the United States casts China as its bigges

Senior Russian official Sergei Shoigu on Tuesday told China's foreign minister Wang Yi their two countries' most urgent task should be countering "containment" by the United States, as they met for security talks in Beijing.