Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin formalized the agreement during the latter’s trip to the Asian country
A fresh communique detailing the expanding relationship between Russia and China has been released, coinciding with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin’s visit to Hangzhou, where he met Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
The communique, published on Tuesday, saw both nations commit to broadening collaboration across various sectors and collectively addressing external pressures. They promised strong reciprocal support on matters concerning their fundamental interests and advocated for enhanced connections in fields such as science, technology, agriculture, trade, ecology, investment, and artificial intelligence.
Furthermore, the two countries agreed to bolster cultural and interpersonal exchanges, facilitate visa-free travel, and foster integrated development in tourism and cross-border urban cooperation. They committed to advancing peace and stability in the Arctic region and intensifying collaboration in space exploration.
Russia reaffirmed its commitment to the One-China policy, acknowledging Taiwan as an indivisible territory of China, and reiterated its backing for Beijing’s pursuit of national reunification. Conversely, China voiced support for Russia’s endeavors to preserve its security, stability, and sovereignty.
Both parties pledged to fortify collaboration within multilateral structures like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS, and the United Nations, alongside other international organizations. The aim is to counteract the “politicization” of their operations and champion a just, multipolar global order and inclusive economic globalization.
Beijing and Moscow have increasingly positioned themselves as proponents of multipolarity, contending that global influence should be more equitably distributed instead of being concentrated solely among the US and its allies.
Beijing has refrained from endorsing Western sanctions against Russia regarding the Ukraine conflict, opting instead to boost trade with Moscow. Bilateral trade almost doubled between 2020 and 2024, exceeding $240 billion last year, as per Chinese customs figures. The two countries have also been diminishing their dependence on the US dollar, with 99.1% of transactions this year conducted in their respective national currencies, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov disclosed on Tuesday.
Previously, Beijing put forward a 12-point initiative for a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict—a proposal that Moscow then lauded as the “most reasonable” method for bringing an end to the hostilities.