Russia and China said in a joint declaration on Wednesday that attempts by some countries to dominate global affairs in the spirit of the colonial era had failed but that the world was in danger of a return to the "law of the jungle".

"The global situation is becoming more complex," they said in a declaration released by the Kremlin in Russian. "The global peace and development agenda is facing new risks and challenges, and there is a danger of fragmentation of the international community and a return to the 'law of the jungle'."

"Attempts by a number of states to unilaterally manage global affairs, impose their interests on the entire world, and limit the sovereign development of other countries, in the spirit of the colonial era, have failed."

It did not name those states, but both China and Russia have in the past criticized what they describe as a U.S.-led attempt to enforce global hegemony.