Russian Prime Minister Starts China Visit in Sign of Strong Ties

  • Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has kicked off a two-day visit to China as the two nations seek to further strengthen ties despite Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
  • Mishustin arrived in Shanghai on 22 May and is expected to address a Russia-China business forum on 23 May and then go to Beijing to meet Chinese leaders. He is also scheduled to meet former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who now heads the New Development Bank in Shanghai.
  • In addition to Mishustin and Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, many business leaders, all of whom have been sanctioned by the US and its allies, will attend the forum in person.
  • Russian Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev said he was also planning to attend the forum, and will discuss issues including winter wheat and meat shipments to China.
  • Mishustin is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang in Beijing, and discuss cooperation in industry, energy, transport infrastructure, and agriculture, the Russian government has said.
  • Beijing didn’t join the US-led sanctions after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, and since then bilateral trade has boomed. China’s exports to Russia hit a record in Apr 23, jumping 153% from a year earlier to USD9.6bn, and it also imported the same amount worth of oil, gas and other goods.

External Link : https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-05-23/russian-prime-minister-starts-china-visit-in-sign-of-strong-ties

23-May-2023