"We welcome cooperation with Chinese friends in the automotive industry, where Chinese companies are achieving clear and very noticeable success," Putin said in a joint statement with Chinese officials after meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. "We will continue to develop this cooperation," he added, highlighting "the negative impact of various illegal sanctions and restrictions" on the sector. The Russian leader's backing for China's car industry comes after US President Joe Biden accused Beijing of cheating. This week, Biden quadrupled tariffs on electric vehicles from China to 100% from 25%. China's commerce ministry condemned the move, warning that the new trade barriers will "seriously affect" cooperation between the two powers. The European Commission has also launched an investigation into Chinese state subsidies for electric vehicle makers to determine whether the industry is benefiting from illegal aid and whether this is causing, or threatening to cause, economic damage to EU manufacturers. Putin, who arrived in the Asian country after securing a fifth term and following Xi's recent trip to Europe, landed in Beijing on Thursday for his second visit to China in less than a year. In February 2022, shortly before the start of the war in Ukraine, Xi and Putin declared a "friendship without limits" in Beijing. Russia has become increasingly economically reliant on China since Western sanctions cut it off from much of the international trading system. Beijing is now the biggest market for Russian oil and gas and a major source of imports, including dual-use goods with civilian and military applications that are helping to keep the Russian war machine going, despite China's ban on arms sales to its neighbour. Read Also: Ukraine: Putin thanks Xi for initiatives to "resolve" conflict (Portuguese version)