Russian PM Mishustin Begins ‘Very Important’ Visit to China
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on Monday departed for a two-day visit to China, with planned talks with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang expected to centre on economic and technological cooperation.
Mishustin is scheduled for a regular heads-of-government meeting with Li in the city of Hangzhou on Monday, and will travel to Beijing on Tuesday for talks with Xi, TASS news agency reported, citing the Russian government’s press service.
The Kremlin attached “very great” importance to Mishustin’s visit to China, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday, while declining to say whether President Vladimir Putin would send a message to Xi via the Russian prime minister, Interfax agency reported.
The last heads-of-government meeting between China and Russia took place in Moscow in August 2024, where Li praised the “new vigor” and “vitality” in bilateral ties.
Mishustin’s talks in China were expected to focus on trade and economic ties, transport and industrial cooperation, enhanced energy partnerships and expanded collaboration in advanced technology and agriculture, TASS reported.
Moscow views industrial and technological cooperation with Beijing as a more sustainable format for long-term cooperation, being less dependent on market conditions, according to Russian state media.
On Sunday, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko and China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng chaired a commission meeting in Ningbo that flagged growth in copper and nickel exports and wider farm-goods access, the Russian government said on its Telegram channel.
