Press statements by President of Russia and President of China
1President of Russia Vladimir Putin: President Xi Jinping, ladies and gentlemen, friends,
It is our sincere pleasure to welcome our dear friend, President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping to Russia on this state visit.
The talks we had yesterday and today, including one-on-one, in a narrow format and in the presence of our delegations were successful, and took place in a warm, comradely, and constructive atmosphere.
The two joint statements we have just signed set forth a framework and fully reflect the special nature of Russian-Chinese relations, which are at the highest level in all our history, offering a model of a genuine comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation. Russia and China share solid bonds of neighbourly relations, mutual support and assistance, and friendship between our peoples. We maintain proactive dialogue at all levels.
The President of China and I remain in touch at all times. Apart from bilateral summits, we meet on the sidelines of international events, and regularly talk to each other on the phone and by videoconference to discuss matters of mutual interest. This enables us to resolve all issues, even the most challenging ones, and to oversee all topical matters on the bilateral and international agenda.
Of course, trade and economic cooperation remain a priority for us, considering that China has solidly established itself as the leading foreign trade partner for our country. Our two countries have been effective in working together to expand mutual trade and maintain this momentum. Last year, trade increased by 30 percent to set a new record of $185 billion. This year, trade may well exceed $200 billion, which would be a symbolic threshold.
The Joint Statement concerning the plan to expand key economic cooperation areas until 2030 sets the task of increasing the volume of trade in goods and services multiple times over, deepening ties in eight strategic areas, primarily finance, industrial manufacturing and technology, as well as transport and logistics. The governments of Russia and China, the business circles of our two countries should start without delay the practical study of the provisions of the Statement and agree on a set of measures for implementing them replete with specific mutually beneficial initiatives and projects.
Expanding settlements between our countries in national currencies is a serious incentive for promoting trade and investment cooperation. As of the end of the first three quarters of 2022, the share of the ruble and yuan in mutual commercial transactions reached 65 percent and continues to grow, which allows us to protect mutual trade from the influence of third countries and negative trends on global currency markets.
Naturally, energy cooperation which is moving forward at a good pace was reviewed in detail during the talks. China is the leading importer of Russian oil, while Russia is prepared to scale up uninterrupted oil supplies for the Chinese economy.
The gas sector offers broad prospects for Russian-Chinese cooperation. In 2022, Russia increased gas supplies to China via the Power of Siberia main pipeline by 50 percent, and Gazprom met its Chinese colleagues halfway and made additional deliveries on top of contractual obligations, which, of course, speaks to what a trustworthy supplier and a reliable partner our company is.
Russian gas exports to China will get a boost from the implementation of the intergovernmental agreement concluded in January on laying the Far Eastern gas route and the implementation of an initiative to build the Power of Siberia-2 gas pipeline across Mongolia. We discussed this in detail and have reached corresponding agreements with Mongolia. This represents about 50 billion cubic metres of gas per year. Russia is also the fourth largest LNG supplier to China, and LNG supplies will expand in the foreseeable future.
Interaction on peaceful nuclear power is progressing successfully. Russia is helping build nuclear power plants in China: the construction of units 7 and 8 at the Tianwan NPP and units 3 and 4 of the Xudabao NPP is on track, to be completed as scheduled. The implementation of the Long-term Cooperation Programme that was signed during the visit by Rosatom and the China Atomic Energy Authority will help strengthen partnerships in this area.
We attach great importance to the further strengthening of bilateral industrial cooperation. Chinese automakers are successfully operating on the Russian market and expanding their presence. Major joint projects are being implemented in civil aircraft and helicopter production, non-ferrous metallurgy, space exploration, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, as well as other science-intensive areas.