Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese Premier Li Qiang met on Wednesday in the Kremlin, highlighting the burgeoning trade relationship between their two nations. Putin emphasized the success of their economic ties, stating, “Our trade relations are developing, developing successfully… The attention that the governments of the two countries on both sides are paying to trade and economic ties is yielding results.” He further mentioned the existence of “large-scale plans” for joint economic and other projects.
Li Qiang echoed Putin’s sentiment, asserting that “Chinese-Russian relations are at an unprecedentedly high level.” This meeting occurred amidst Russia’s ongoing struggle to counter a Ukrainian incursion into the Kursk region, which began over two weeks ago. Moscow also experienced a significant drone attack overnight, one of the largest on the Russian capital since the Ukraine conflict began.
While Russian news reports did not mention if Putin and Li discussed Ukraine, China has maintained a stance of neutrality in the conflict. However, it shares a deep antagonism towards the West alongside Russia. Following the imposition of heavy sanctions on Russian oil by Western nations in response to the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, China significantly increased its purchase of Russian oil, strengthening its influence in the country.
The importance of China to Russia was further underlined by Putin’s meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing soon after his inauguration for a fifth term in the Kremlin. This year, a U.S. intelligence assessment revealed that China has dramatically increased its sales to Russia, supplying machine tools, microelectronics, and other technologies crucial for Moscow’s production of missiles, tanks, aircraft, and other weaponry. The deepening ties between Russia and China, particularly in the economic and military spheres, are closely watched by the international community amidst the ongoing geopolitical tensions.
