Putin praises Sino-Russian trade relations at Eastern Economic Forum

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
12 Sep 2023 09:35

The Eastern Economic Forum, a prestigious annual event, was founded in 2015 as a global platform aimed at promoting business collaboration in the Asia-Pacific region.

Russian President Vladimir Putin with China's Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing pose for a photo prior to their talks on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023 (AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a significant meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing on Tuesday during the 8th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) hosted on the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok, Sputnik reported.

"I would like to take this opportunity to ask you to convey my best wishes to the President of the People’s Republic of China, with whom we have established friendly relations – both business and personal. This, of course, helps the development of bilateral relations and interstate ties," President Putin stated.

President Putin went on to highlight the impressive growth in trade between Russia and China, noting that in the first seven months of the year, trade had already increased by 24%, totaling $120 billion. He expressed optimism that their shared goal of achieving a $200 billion trade turnover could be realized as early as this year, based on the robust upward trend.

"Every year we add almost one-third of the volume of trade. And this year, in the first seven months of this year, trade also increased by about the same amount, even more - 24% - already $120 billion. And the task we set with President Xi Jinping to reach $200 billion turnover can be achieved in the near future, as early as this year," President Putin stated during the meeting with Vice Premier Zhang.

Earlier during the Eastern Economic Forum, the Philippines ambassador expressed his state's interest in procuring oil products from Russia.

Furthermore, during the Forum, the Myanmar Minister of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations said that Myanmar is paying for Russian petroleum products in Yuan and that both Myanmar and Russia are cooking up an agreement on the mutual conversion of national currencies.

The Eastern Economic Forum, a prestigious annual event, was founded in 2015 as a global platform aimed at promoting business collaboration in the Asia-Pacific region and encouraging investments in Russia's easternmost areas. The eighth edition of the EEF is currently happening from September 10 to 13 in Vladivostok, Russia.