Xi was holding the call with Putin via a video link from the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday afternoon, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

The call comes days after top diplomats from both countries agreed bilateral relations could "break new ground" this year as Beijing and Moscow seek to ramp up economic cooperation.

Their strategic partnership has grown closer since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.

The two leaders, who are regularly in contact, exchanged New Year greetings on December 31, in which Xi expressed "readiness to continue maintaining close exchanges" with Putin, according to China's foreign ministry.

They last met in person in September when the Russian leader attended Beijing's massive military parade.

During the visit, Putin told Xi during talks that their countries' ties were at an "unprecedented level".

Putin and a slew of world leaders had visited the port city of Tianjin before that to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit - a forum that China sees as an alternative to Western-dominated international cooperation.

Xi also visited Moscow last year, in May, for Russia's celebrations of the World War II defeat of the Nazis.

The two chatted while they watched tanks and missiles roll across Red Square during Russia's flagship Victory Day Parade.