According to the Russian president, trade with China now exceeds 200 billion dollars per year.
As Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese Leader Xi Jinping continue their meeting in China, the world waits to see what their self-proclaimed “limitless” partnership will mean for Ukraine’s future.
Xi and Putin have a long-standing agreement providing for annual visits to each other’s countries, with the Chinese president being hosted at the Kremlin last year.
The two heads of state must focus on trade and cultural activities during this second day of Vladimir Putin’s visit to China.
The Russian leader took advantage of his public statements to emphasize the importance of cooperation between Russia and China in terms of joint development of new technologies.
“Building on traditions of friendship and cooperation, we can look to the future with confidence” he said at a China-Russia exhibition in the northeastern city of Harbin.The Russian-Chinese partnership contributes to the economic growth of our countries, ensures energy security, helps to develop production and create new jobs, “he said. added.
Although it is unlikely that Mr. Putin’s visit will result in concrete proposals or announcements, MM. Xi and Putin strive to flaunt their strong relationship as, US and other powers continue to sanction Russia over Ukraine war.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has become increasingly dependent on China due to Western sanctions. Commercial exchanges between the two countries reached 240 billion dollars last year, China having helped its neighbor mitigate the worst effects of Western sanctions.
This week, Putin thanked Xi for Chinese proposals to end the warwhile Xi said China hopes for Europe’s early return to peace and stability and will continue to play a constructive role in this regard.
Last year, China proposed a broad peace plan that did not require Russia to leave occupied parts of Ukraine. This plan was rejected by Ukraine and the West.
While the notion of peaceful resolution of the conflict was often mentioned during Thursday’s discussions, Russia opened a new front in the war by launching attacks in its northeastern border area.
The war is at a critical point for Ukrainewhich is trying to resupply its forces after experiencing delays in obtaining weapons from the United States.
European leaders pressured China to ask Russia to end its invasion, but to no avail. According to a US intelligence report**, China is likely to supply Russian forces with equipment, including drones and parts for fighter jets.**
