China congratulates Russia's Putin on presidential election victory

China congratulates Russia's Putin on presidential election victory

Key Russian ally China congratulates President Vladimir Putin on his election victory.

With 99 percent of polling stations having submitted results, Putin had secured 87.33 percent of all votes cast, official election data shows, according to state news agency RIA.

A record victory for Putin in a presidential election where he faced no genuine competition, with the polls criticised by several Western nations as neither free nor fair.