Chinese Premier Li Qiang (left) and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin in Moscow, August 21. (Source: TASS)

At the invitation of his Russian and Belarusian counterparts, Chinese Premier Li Qiang visited the two countries from August 20-23 to enhance political trust and promote cooperation.

Realizing the high-level agreement

During his stay in Russia, Premier Li Qiang co-chaired the 29th regular meeting with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. The meeting focused on discussing the prospects for developing and expanding the partnership and cooperation between the two countries in the fields of economy, trade, geopolitical strategy and resolving “important issues of mutual concern”.

The China-Russia regular prime ministerial meeting is an important supplementary mechanism to the China-Russia high-level leaders' summit launched in 1996, comprising five intergovernmental committees at the deputy prime ministerial level and 80 subcommittees and specialized working groups. Since then, the mechanism has contributed to promoting the implementation of agreements between the two countries' high-level leaders, carrying out practical cooperation, and enhancing effective people-to-people and cultural exchanges. After the meeting, the two sides signed a number of intergovernmental and inter-ministerial documents in areas of cooperation and common interests between the two countries.

During the meeting with President Vladimir Putin, the two sides discussed measures to expand trade relations, strengthen energy cooperation and find new directions for joint ventures. President Putin emphasized cooperation in the fields of petrochemicals and renewable energy, the automobile and aircraft industry, information technology, communications and space.

Premier Li Qiang's visit to Russia is the third high-level exchange between China and Russia this year, following the two meetings between General Secretary and President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin in May and July. In the previous two meetings, Xi Jinping and Putin outlined a new strategic plan for the development of bilateral relations. Premier Li Qiang affirmed that with the joint efforts of the two countries, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era will enter a bright future, overcoming the challenges of the international context.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia. Premier Li Qiang shared that under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin, the two countries have established a new model for relations (relationships between major neighboring countries). The current practice of China-Russia relations shows close ties, strong political trust, effective and close cooperation, and new vitality in bilateral relations as well as internationally. In 2023, the trade volume between China and Russia reached a record of 240.1 billion USD, making China Russia's largest trading partner for 14 consecutive years. In the first seven months of 2024, China-Russia trade increased by 1.6% year-on-year to 136.67 billion USD.

Affirming a reliable partner

Last year, President Alexander Lukashenko visited China twice and affirmed that Belarus is a “reliable partner” of China. Premier Li Qiang’s visit this time is the first by a Chinese premier to Belarus since 2007. The head of the Chinese government will hold talks with Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko on bilateral relations and cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

According to Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning, China and Belarus are all-around comprehensive strategic partners. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992 and the upgrade to an all-around comprehensive strategic partnership in 2022, China-Belarus relations have maintained steady development momentum. Belarus is one of the first countries to respond to and actively participate in Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative. In July 2024, Belarus became the 10th member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). China is currently Belarus's second largest trading partner, and Belarus is one of China's fastest-growing trading partners in the Eurasian region. According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, bilateral trade will exceed $8.4 billion in 2023, up 67.3% year-on-year.

Regarding the Russia-Ukraine issue, although China claims to be neutral, NATO member states have always regarded China as the “decisive facilitator” in resolving the conflict there. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has called on all parties in the conflict in Ukraine to adhere to the principles of “de-escalation” of tensions. Beijing has stated that it will continue to communicate with the international community and promote the resolution of the conflict in Ukraine through negotiations and political solutions.

In the context that all three countries are being subject to sanctions at different levels and in different areas by the US and the West, the Chinese Prime Minister's visit to Russia and Belarus continues to affirm the increasingly close ties and cooperation between Beijing, Moscow and Minsk.