Xi Jinping calls for more trade cooperation with Russia

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin called for deepening cooperation in fields including economy and trade, energy, and connectivity during a meeting in Beijing on Wednesday. 

In the first 11 months of this year, the bilateral trade between China and Russia achieved the annual trade volume target of $200 billion jointly set by the two heads of state, which shows the strong resilience and broad prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries, Xi said.

He noted that maintaining and developing China-Russia relations is a strategic choice made by both sides based on the fundamental interests of the two peoples.

China supports the Russian people in taking the development path of their own choice, said Xi, expressing the hope of taking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia next year as a new starting point to continuously expand the positive effects of the high-level political relations and jointly move forward in the process of comprehensively promoting economic and social development and realizing national rejuvenation.

Both sides should continuously enrich the content of cooperation, and jointly safeguard the security and stability of industrial and supply chains, he added.

The two countries need to ensure the success of the 2024-2025 China-Russia years of culture, carry out more events for people-to-people exchanges and cement the social foundation and public support for the long-standing friendship between the two countries, he added.

For his part, Mishustin said Russia is willing to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state.

Russia is satisfied about the steady growth of bilateral practical cooperation and is ready to further explore the potential for cooperation, he said.

Mishustin also extended condolences on the recent 6.2-magnitude earthquake hitting northwest China's Gansu Province on behalf of the Russian government and people. Russia is ready to provide rescue assistance if needed, he said.

(With input from Xinhua)