With all the difficulties the world economy has been facing since 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Moscow and Beijing have tried not to reduce the level of interaction. Although via video link, the heads of government of the two countries continued their talks in the long-established format of regular meetings. The twenty-seventh meeting took place last December. Russian-Chinese cooperation is well stimulated by Western sanctions. National enterprises are forced to look to the East in their activities – to look there for new markets, new partners. Over the past two years, trade between countries has grown by a third per year, and in 2022 set a new record – 185 billion dollars. The trend continues this year: in January-March, the volume of trade increased by another 24.5% compared to the same period last year, with the first quarter bringing in 51.9 billion.
Moscow and Beijing tried not to reduce the level of interaction
Cooperation in the energy sector is becoming increasingly strategic. Our country has become a leader in oil exports to China and ranks second in coal supplies. The creation of a logistics network to increase natural gas exchanges continues. The Chinese side shows considerable interest in Russian agricultural products. In 2022, its shipments increased by 42% to $7 billion. And in the first quarter of 2023, an increase of 91% was recorded (compared to the first quarter of last year). The parties are negotiating to expand mutual access to agricultural products.
Mikhail Mishustin will make his first stopover in China in Shanghai. Representatives of leading companies of both countries will meet here, the prime minister will address them at the Russian-Chinese business forum. Afterwards, the Prime Minister will travel to Beijing, where he will have official talks with the leaders of the People’s Republic. Mishustin will not only be able to personally meet China’s new State Council Premier Li Qiang, who was appointed to the post in March, but will also have a separate conversation directly with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The visit will lead to the signing of new bilateral agreements between Moscow and Beijing.
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