MOSCOW -- Russia enjoys an unprecedentedly high level of interstate relations with China, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday.

"At the same time, we always respect the interests of our partners in the international arena and appreciate it when they treat us the same way. China treats us the same way," the president said at the "Russia Calling" investment forum.

Turning to China's development, Putin said that the country is growing economically, and this is a natural process that shouldn't be contained.

Putin added that restrictions and sanctions against China in this context are "unjustified" and contradict the norms of international law.

Asked about China's military potential, Putin said that China has the right to defend itself.

Moscow does not see this as a threat, he said, adding that relations between the two countries are a significant factor contributing to global stability.

"We are satisfied with the level of our relations, we think that they can be even deeper, more meaningful and lead to a positive effect, both for the people of China and for the people of Russia," Putin said.