Russia says PM Mishustin’s visit to China ‘very important’
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Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin’s talks in China were reportedly expected to focus on trade and economic ties, among other areas.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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MOSCOW – Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on Nov 3 departed for a two-day visit to China, with planned talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang expected to centre on economic and technological cooperation despite pressure from the West.
Mr Mishustin is scheduled for a regular heads-of-government meeting with Mr Li in the city of Hangzhou on Nov 3, and will travel to Beijing the day after for talks with Mr Xi, Tass news agency reported, citing the Russian government’s press service.
The last heads-of-government meeting between China and Russia took place in Moscow in August 2024, where Mr Li praised the “new vigour” and “vitality” in bilateral ties.
The Kremlin attached “very great” importance to Mr Mishustin’s visit to China, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Oct 31, while declining to say whether Russian President Vladimir Putin would send a message to Mr Xi via the Russian prime minister, Interfax agency reported.
Mr Putin and Mr Xi signed a “no limits” partnership in February 2022
US-China friction over trade and technology under US President Donald Trump, which strained relations between Washington and Beijing, has also encouraged both Moscow and Beijing to strengthen cross-border commerce to counter Western pressure.
However, China-Russia trade has been declining in recent months, which Russian Industry and Trade Minister Anton Alikhanov attributed to “external” economic pressure and “market saturation” of Chinese products in Russia.
China’s September renminbi-denominated exports to Russia posted their biggest drop in seven months – down a staggering 21 per cent year on year – according to Chinese customs data.
But China’s imports from Russia swung back to growth in September with a 3.8 per cent rise compared with a 17.8 per cent contraction a month earlier.
Mr Mishustin’s talks in China were expected to focus on trade and economic ties, transport and industrial cooperation, enhanced energy partnerships and expanded collaboration in advanced technology and agriculture, Tass reported.
Moscow views industrial and technological cooperation with Beijing as a more sustainable format for long-term cooperation, being less dependent on market conditions, according to Russian state media.
On Nov 2, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko and China’s Vice-Premier He Lifeng chaired a commission meeting in Ningbo, China, that flagged growth in copper and nickel exports and wider farm goods access, the Russian government said on its Telegram channel. REUTERS
