Russian PM arrives in China for talks with Xi, business forum

Russian PM arrives in China for talks with Xi, business forum

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin is visiting China, where he will meet President Xi Jinping and attend a business forum
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin is visiting China, where he will meet President Xi Jinping and attend a business forum. Photo: Dmitry ASTAKHOV / SPUTNIK/AFP/File
Source: AFP

PAY ATTENTION: Enjoy reading our stories? Join YEN.com.gh's Telegram channel for more!

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has arrived in China, Moscow's foreign ministry said, for a visit in which he will meet with President Xi Jinping and ink a series of deals on infrastructure and trade.

Mishustin arrived late Monday in Shanghai, the ministry said, where he was greeted at the airport by Moscow's ambassador to China Igor Morgulov and Beijing's top diplomat to Russia Zhang Hanhui.

He will take part in a Russian-Chinese Business Forum and visit a petrochemical research institute in Shanghai, the Kremlin said, as well as hold talks with "representatives of Russian business circles".

That forum has invited a number of sanctioned Russian tycoons -- including from the key fertiliser, steel and mining sectors -- as well as Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, who handles energy issues, Bloomberg reported.

China last year became the top energy customer for Russia, whose gas exports had otherwise plummeted after a flurry of Western sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine.

Read also

Xi says China, Central Asia must 'fully unleash' potential

Mishustin will then travel to Beijing, where he will meet with Xi and Premier Li Qiang, Russian state media TASS has said.

PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Instagram - get the most important news directly in your favourite app!

China and Russia have in recent years ramped up economic cooperation and diplomatic contacts, with their strategic partnership having only grown closer since the invasion of Ukraine.

While China says it is a neutral party in that war, it has refused to condemn Russia for the invasion.

In February, Beijing released a paper calling for a "political settlement" to the conflict, which Western countries said could enable Russia to hold much of the territory it has seized in Ukraine.

During a March summit in Moscow, Xi invited President Vladimir Putin to visit Beijing.

Analysts say China holds the upper hand in the relationship with Russia, and that its sway is growing as Moscow's international isolation deepens.

New feature: Сheck out news that is picked for YOU ➡️ click on “Recommended for you” and enjoy!

Source: AFP

Authors:
AFP avatar

AFP AFP text, photo, graphic, audio or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP news material may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer or otherwise except for personal and non-commercial use. AFP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP news material or in transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages whatsoever. As a newswire service, AFP does not obtain releases from subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, videos, graphics or quoted in its texts. Further, no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP material. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP material.