Russia PM visits China to deepen Moscow-Beijing economic ties

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has started a two-day visit to China, in an effort to deepen trade and business ties between Moscow and Beijing amid intensifying US economic warfare against the two nations.

Mishustin arrived on Monday night in Shanghai, where he will participate in a Russian-Chinese Business Forum, the Kremlin said.

According to Press TV, the Russian prime minister will also hold talks with “representatives of Russian business circles." 

In addition, Mishustin is scheduled to hold talks with former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, head of the China-led BRICS New Development Bank.

He will then head to Beijing, more than 1,200 kilometers away from Shanghai, to meet President Xi Jinping and his Chinese counterpart, Prime Minister Li Qiang.

After their talks, Moscow and Beijing are expected to sign bilateral agreements.

"The areas of our cooperation may include not only organizing industrial production and enterprises for deep processing of raw materials, but also providing mutual access to advanced technologies, promoting promising innovative solutions, and, of course, harmonizing national standards and technical requirements," Mishustin said.

"Our country is the leading supplier of oil to China. Exports of natural and liquefied gas, as well as coal, are steadily increasing,” he stated.

Mishustin added that both sides “are ready to collaborate on the implementation of other major projects, including those involving renewable energy."

China became the top energy customer for Russia last year after Moscow was hit by massive Western sanctions over its military operation in Ukraine.

Ever since the beginning of the war, the United States and its allies have been providing Ukraine with advanced weapons and imposing sanctions on Russia.

The Russian prime minister and other members of the delegation have also been on the US Treasury Department's sanctions list of Russian people and entities since last year.

The United States has imposed a raft of sanctions on China as well. 

ME