MOSCOW, December 23. /TASS/. Russia and China are jointly developing high-tech weapons as they cooperate in the security area, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

"We cooperate [with China] in the security area," he said during his annual news conference. "China’s armed forces are equipped with the most advanced weapons systems to a large extent."

"We are even developing together certain high-tech types of weapons," the president went on to say. "We are working in space, aircraft areas. On planes and helicopters."

The armed forces of the two countries also cooperate, Putin said.

"It’s joint exercises, participation in joint international war games, joint patrols at sea and in air," he said. Russia and China have "an absolutely comprehensive partnership of strategic nature," he said.