Russia and China sign economic cooperation agreement

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin - the highest-ranking Russian official to visit China since the war in Ukraine broke out in February 2022 - held talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and is expected to meet with President Xi Jinping.

“Today, relations between Russia and China are at an unprecedented high level,” Mishustin told Li Qiang during a meeting between the two leaders. “The relationship is built on mutual respect, mutual interests and a desire to jointly address challenges, linked to growing chaos in the international arena and the Western model of collective pressure.”

The signed memorandums of understanding include an agreement to enhance investment cooperation in the field of trade services, an agreement on agricultural exports to China and another on sports cooperation.

Russian energy shipments to China are expected to increase by 40 percent this year and the two countries are discussing the supply of technological equipment to Russia, Interfax news agency reported.

President Xi Jinping visited Russia in March and held talks with President Vladimir Putin, after pledging "unlimited" cooperation between the two countries on the eve of the war in Ukraine.

China has rejected recent Western accusations that its cooperation with Russia is linked to the war in Ukraine, insisting that its relationship does not violate international norms. China says it has the right to cooperate with anyone it chooses and that its cooperation is not aimed at any third country.

"China is willing to work with Russia to carry out the common development of the two countries and promote pragmatic cooperation in various fields that can take it to a new level," Premier Li Qiang told his counterpart Mishustin.

Earlier on Monday, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev held talks with Chen Wenqing, a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China. Patrushev said relations with China are a strategic direction for Russia.

Last week, China’s special representative for Eurasian affairs, Li Hui, visited Ukraine and met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as part of a European tour aimed at promoting peace talks and a political settlement to the conflict. Li is scheduled to visit Russia next Friday.

Hoang Hai (according to TASS, Interfax, Reuters)

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