Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese Premier Li Qiang reaffirmed their countries' close ties during a meeting in St. Petersburg. The two nations agreed to enhance cooperation across various sectors, including economy, energy, space, and artificial intelligence, during their 31st regular meeting of prime ministers.
On October 21, local time, Russian state news agency TASS and Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported that President Putin met with the Chinese delegation led by Premier Li.
According to TASS, President Putin stated, "The relationship between our two countries is developing successfully and dynamically," adding that it is not influenced by the international situation and does not target any third parties. He emphasized the need to continue expanding cooperation in key areas such as trade, energy, information technology, space, and peaceful nuclear energy.
President Putin specifically mentioned the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China, next month, stating, "I will have the opportunity to meet with President Xi Jinping." The Kremlin also noted that preparations are underway for a potential trilateral summit involving the U.S., China, and Russia during APEC.
In contrast, Xinhua did not comment on President Putin's remarks regarding a meeting with Xi or the possibility of a trilateral summit, indicating a diplomatic chill. Instead, Xinhua focused on Premier Li's statements about multilateral cooperation and economic integration.
Premier Li emphasized, "In the face of increasingly complex international circumstances, maintaining close cooperation between China and Russia is a valuable stabilizing force in a chaotic world," and he pledged to unite the capabilities of the 'Global South' through multilateral platforms such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and BRICS to counter unilateralism and hegemony.
Earlier, Premier Li co-chaired the 31st regular meeting of Chinese and Russian prime ministers with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, signing a joint communiqué. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation, during which the two leaders agreed to expand cooperation in trade, investment, energy, aerospace, finance, and advanced industries such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and the digital economy to counter external pressures and uncertainties.
The Chinese delegation included Premier Li, along with key officials such as Wu Zhenglong, Secretary-General of the State Council, Zheng Shanjie, Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, Huai Jinpeng, Minister of Education, and Wang Wentao, Minister of Commerce, demonstrating a commitment to comprehensive practical cooperation.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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