Xi vows 'firm support' for Russia in 'core interests'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
24 May 2023 21:05
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At a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping says China and Russia should "push cooperation in various fields to a higher level."

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin (R) and Chinese Premier Li Qiang attend a welcoming ceremony in Beijing. (AFP)

Chinese President Xi Jinping offered Beijing's support on Moscow's "core interests" at a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on Wednesday.

Xi affirmed that China and Russia would continue to offer each other "firm support on issues concerning each other's core interests and strengthen collaboration in multilateral arenas."

Mishustin arrived in China late Monday for a visit in which he inked a series of deals on infrastructure and trade, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

China and Russia should "push cooperation in various fields to a higher level", he said, and "raise the level of economic, trade, and investment cooperation."

On his account, Mishustin, who is accompanied this week by top officials including Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, said the two countries had entrenched bilateral relations based on "mutual respect of each other's interests, the desire to jointly respond to challenges, which is associated with increased turbulence in the international arena and the pattern of sensational pressure from the collective West."

"Our country is the leading supplier of oil to China. Exports of natural and liquefied gas, as well as coal, are steadily increasing,” he highlighted.

Elsewhere in his remarks, he affirmed that the two countries “are ready to collaborate on the implementation of other major projects, including those involving renewable energy."

Mishustin discussed his recent meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang, describing the negotiations as "meaningful".

The Russian Prime Minister emphasized advances in trade and economic cooperation and urged for the opening up of new potential areas in order to raise the Russian-Chinese partnership to a new level by 2030.

"Along with stronger trade and economic cooperation, we deem it important to expand cultural and humanitarian ties. They cement the foundation of friendship and mutual affection between our peoples, which we must hand down to future generations of Russian and Chinese citizens," he stressed.

During a Russian-Chinese business forum in Shanghai on Tuesday, the Russian PM said the two nations may bring their trade in 2023 to $200 billion.

Elsewhere, the Russian PM stressed that the expansion of air traffic and the active use of the potential of the Northern Sea Route is a priority area of Russia-China cooperation.

China and Russia have in recent years ramped up economic and diplomatic cooperation, growing even closer despite the West's strained efforts to undermine Chinese-Russian ties.

It is worth noting that China is Russia's largest trading partner, with trade between them reaching a record $190 billion last year, as per Chinese customs data.