MOSCOW, February 9. /TASS/. Russia is frequently being told "boogeyman stories" about China, but what it sees is the peaceful nature of Beijing’s foreign policy and its readiness to search for a compromise, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with Tucker Carlson published on the US journalist’s website.

"We have heard those boogeyman stories before. It is a boogeyman story," the Russian leader said when asked about whether he had China-related concerns in terms of national sovereignty.

"We're neighbors with China. You cannot choose neighbors, just as you cannot choose close relatives," Putin continued, adding that the two states share a common border of about 1,000 km and "have a centuries long history of coexistence."

"China's foreign policy philosophy is not aggressive. Its idea is to always look for compromise. And we can see that," the president added.