Chinese president's visit to Russia is a milestone in the development of bilateral relations

Chinese President Xi Jinping will arrive in Russia on Monday, 20 March, for a two-day official visit that is expected to discuss bilateral cooperation, review the regional and international landscape, and agree on positions on global challenges.

This is Xi's first trip abroad since being re-elected this month, and the agenda includes formal talks with the host country, Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Xi and Putin will seek to strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, to deepen cooperation on the international stage and to sign new agreements.

The two leaders held talks last September on the sidelines of a regional summit in Uzbekistan. At that time, Xi confirmed that China is ready to work with Russia and provide support on issues of mutual interest. He expressed readiness to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in trade, agriculture and communications.

He also added that it was necessary to join efforts to protect the security and common interests of the region, developing countries and markets. The Chinese leader called on the PRC and Russia to strengthen coordination within the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the BRICS group and other multilateral mechanisms to strengthen solidarity and trust.

Commenting on Xi's trip, Chinese Ambassador to Moscow Zhang Hanhui said it was very important for the two countries to take bilateral relations to a higher level.

He noted that bilateral trade reached a high record of more than $190 billion in 2022, the main goods exported by China are electrical and mechanical products and automobiles.

The diplomat also said the visit would be an important milestone for ties between Beijing and Moscow and would give them a new impetus, as reported by China Daily, a partner of TV BRICS.

Photo: China Daily