International press: “China’s No. 2 official travels to Russia to ‘deepen’ ties”

President Vladimir Putin with the Premier of the State Council of China Li Qiang.
Photo: Kremlin.ru

President Vladimir Putin met Premier of the State Council of China Li Qiang in Moscow. He said: “Our countries have large-scale joint plans, projects in the economic and humanitarian areas, we expect them to last for many years.”

Beijing is ready to take cooperation with Moscow to a higher level, Premier of the State Council of China Li Qiang said at a meeting with his Russian counterpart Mikhail Mishustin in Moscow, TASS informs. The parties signed a dozen agreements, including an investment cooperation plan. Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the outcome of the meeting, noting that trade relations between the two countries were progressing well, Izvestia writes.

During the talks, the parties considered measures aimed at promoting trade settlements in national currencies, though resolving the issue will be time-consuming, Vasily Kashin, director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at the Higher School of Economics, stressed. According to the expert, in particular, government commissions are discussing barter trade mechanisms and the opening of Russian bank branches in China.

Chinese businesses continue to be affected by sanctions, which are hurting several major banks and other financial institutions. Cui argues that both countries need to establish new financial bodies that would specialize in bilateral investment. It’s quite possible to create specific mechanisms as part of the new investment cooperation plan signed by the parties, Kirill Kotkov, head of the St. Petersburg-based Center for Far Eastern Studies, pointed out.

"It will take time to work out the kinks though, and this will affect Russian-Chinese trade. However, Beijing’s ambition has the Russian business community excited," Alexander Lomanov, head of the Center for Asia-Pacific Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of World Economy and International Relations, told Vedomosti.

The meeting in Kremlin.
Photo: Kremlin.ru

“China-Russia relations in the new era have shown new vigor and vitality, with stronger mutual political trust, fruitful cooperation in various fields, deeply rooted friendship, and close and effective international coordination,” Li said in a statement, adding the visit was aimed at “deepening mutually beneficial cooperation,” CNN notes.

The premier’s visit – for a longstanding annual meeting with the Russian prime minister – is the first to Russia by a high-level Chinese official since a surprise military incursion by Ukrainian forces into the Russian border region of Kursk two weeks ago.

Last week, in response to a media inquiry on the situation, a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry called on “all parties” not to expand the battlefield, escalate fighting and “fuel the flame,” saying China would continue to work for a “political settlement of the crisis.”

Beijing has faced mounting scrutiny and pressure from the West to curtail the export of dual-use goods such as aerospace, manufacturing and technology equipment to Russia, which Western leaders and Kyiv have alleged are propping up the Russian war effort.

Trade between China and Russia hit record highs last year, surpassing a target of $240 billion ahead of schedule. Russia has grown hugely reliant on China’s market, goods and investment since it was slapped with broad international sanctions.

Li Qiang and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
Photo: RF Government

Chinese Premier Li Qiang co-chaired the 29th regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of government with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin in Moscow and said China is ready to work with Russia to strengthen all-round practical cooperation between the two countries, and push the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era to a new level.

Analysts said that China-Russia ties remain solid and can withstand any impact and interruption from outside, and will continue to benefit the two peoples by boosting trade and comprehensive cooperation, while China's stance for peace on the Ukraine crisis will remain unchanged, ‘The Global Times’ stresses.

While co-chairing the meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of government, Li said that China is ready to work with Russia to follow the strategic guidance of the two heads of state and take the opportunity of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties to uphold mutual respect, mutual trust, everlasting friendship and mutual benefit.

Mishustin said Russia is ready to work with China to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, continue to deepen mutual trust, expand cooperation in investment, energy, economy and trade, culture and sub-national areas, and ensure the success of the Russia-China Years of Culture.

Mishustin pledged Russia will join China in strengthening communication and coordination in international affairs, better safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of the two sides, and pushing forward the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.

After the meeting, the two leaders signed a joint communique of the 29th regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of government and a new version of the outline of the China-Russia investment cooperation plan.

Wang Xiaoquan, an expert with the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that this is the 29th meeting between the heads of government of the two countries. This is proof that China-Russia relations have set a paradigm for major power relations in a world in turbulence, which is based on long-term and stable win-win cooperation and solid mutual trust and respect.

China and Russia are both permanent members of the UN Security Council so they do have reason to maintain frequent and high-level communication to not only handle bilateral issues, but also to undertake diplomatic cooperation to jointly take responsibility to safeguard the multi-polarization process of the world, analysts said.

Mishustin said at the meeting with Li that Moscow and Beijing should jointly defend their interests and the principles of the multipolar world order in the conditions of Western sanctions pressure, Russian news agency TASS reported on Wednesday.

"Western countries are trying to maintain their global dominance and contain the economic and technological potential of Russia and China," Mishustin said.

"That is why it is important to concentrate efforts on protecting our common interests, building a multipolar world order and strengthening coordination on international platforms," Mishustin emphasized, according to TASS.

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