Chinese Premier Li Qiang is set to meet with Russian leaders in Moscow Wednesday during a four-day trip to Russia and its ally Belarus as Beijing shrugs off Western criticism of its robust Kremlin ties amid the war in Ukraine. <\/p>\n
Li, China\u2019s No. 2 official under leader Xi Jinping, will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and hold talks on China-Russia cooperation and strategic ties with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Russian state-run news agency Tass reported Wednesday. <\/p>\n
Li hailed the two countries\u2019 relations after his arrival at Moscow\u2019s Vnukovo Airport Tuesday, where he was greeted by Russian officials and an honor guard. <\/p>\n
\u201cChina-Russia relations in the new era have shown new vigor and vitality, with stronger mutual political trust, fruitful cooperation in various fields, deeply rooted friendship, and close and effective international coordination,\u201d Li said in a statement released upon his arrival, adding the visit was aimed at \u201cdeepening mutually beneficial cooperation.\u201d <\/p>\n
The premier\u2019s visit \u2013 for a longstanding annual meeting with the Russian prime minister \u2013 is the first to Russia by a high-level Chinese official since a surprise military incursion by Ukrainian forces into the Russian border region of Kursk two weeks ago. <\/p>\n
Russia has been scrambling to repel that assault, which marks the first time foreign troops entered Russian territory since World War II and comes amid mounting pressure for a conclusion to the war in Ukraine, which began in 2022 with Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion of its neighbor. <\/p>\n
Last week, in response to a media inquiry on the situation, a spokesperson for China\u2019s Foreign Ministry called on \u201call parties\u201d not to expand the battlefield, escalate fighting and \u201cfuel the flame,\u201d saying China would continue to work for a \u201cpolitical settlement of the crisis.\u201d <\/p>\n
Beijing has faced mounting scrutiny and pressure from the West to curtail the export of dual-use goods such as aerospace, manufacturing and technology equipment to Russia, which Western leaders and Kyiv have alleged are propping up the Russian war effort. <\/p>\n
Chinese officials have sought to present the country as a neutral, aspiring peace broker in the war, but have had limited high-level contact with Kyiv while continuing to deepen relations with Moscow across trade, diplomacy and security. <\/p>\n
China last month hosted a top Ukrainian official for the first time since Russia\u2019s invasion of the country nearly two and half years ago. <\/p>\n
Wednesday\u2019s meeting between Li and Mishustin is part of annual talks held since 1996, which are seen as a means to implement practical cooperation in the direction set by Xi and Putin. The two officials are expected to discuss the countries\u2019 \u201ccomprehensive partnership and strategic interaction,\u201d including in trade and economy, according to Tass. <\/p>\n
Trade between China and Russia hit record highs last year, surpassing a target of $240 billion ahead of schedule. Russia has grown hugely reliant on China\u2019s market, goods and investment since it was slapped with broad international sanctions following its Ukraine invasion. <\/p>\n
Bilateral trade increased by more than a quarter year-on-year in 2023 from 2022, but has only grown about 1.6% between January and July this year over the same period last year, according to China\u2019s customs data. <\/p>\n
Li is expected to end his four-day trip in Belarus, where he will meet Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko for an \u201cin-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields,\u201d China\u2019s Foreign Ministry said Monday. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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