Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Moscow and Beijing “will soon delight the global energy sector with new agreements.”
Speaking at a meeting with representatives of global news agencies in St. Petersburg, Putin rejected suggestions that Russia had shifted its strategic focus toward Asia only in recent years, arguing that the foundations of the partnership with China were laid long before the conflict in Ukraine.
He noted that the treaty underpinning Russia-China relations was signed in 2001 and said the two countries have steadily expanded cooperation over the past quarter-century. Bilateral trade has now reached nearly $250 billion, he added.
“We are natural allies and partners. We are neighbors. Neighbors are not chosen,” Putin said, describing China as a rapidly growing global economic and political power.
The Russian leader said the expanding and diversifying economies of both countries are creating new opportunities for cooperation in fields ranging from artificial intelligence and information technology to biology and genetics.
Putin also said military and military-technical cooperation between Russia and China has continued along traditional lines and is not linked to current international crises.
“We simply work and are friends with China not against anyone, but in each other’s interests,” he said.
According to Putin, future growth in bilateral ties will increasingly be driven by high technology and innovation.
He also highlighted his personal relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying the two leaders have developed a relationship of trust while pursuing the national interests of their respective countries.
Putin said governments, ministries and major companies from both countries are actively implementing agreements reached during his recent visit to China.
He added that energy remains a key area of cooperation and indicated that further announcements could be made soon.
“I am confident that we will soon delight the global energy sector with new agreements between Russia and China,” he said.
Turning to the energy cooperation with India, Putin also praised them, saying they are developing successfully despite the US attempts to exercise pressure on New Delhi.
“But it seems to me that everyone has long understood that putting pressure on Prime Minister Modi, who leads a country with a population of 1.5 billion, is pointless,” he said.
