Chinese premier in Moscow to promote ties

Chinese Premier Li Qiang, accompanied by senior Russian government officials, reviews the honor guard during a grand welcome ceremony at Vnukovo Airport in Moscow, Russia, Aug. 20, 2024. Li arrived here on Tuesday to hold the 29th regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of government and visit Russia at the invitation of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)

MOSCOW, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrived here Tuesday for the 29th regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of government and an official visit to Russia at the invitation of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

Li arrived at Moscow's Vnukovo Airport, where a grand welcome ceremony for him was held. The premier reviewed the honor guard accompanied by senior Russian government officials.

During his stay, Li will meet with Mishustin to exchange in-depth views on bilateral relations, practical cooperation and key issues of common interest.

The regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of government, held every year since its inception in 1996, is an important mechanism for implementing the consensus reached by the two countries' heads of state and promoting bilateral cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.

In a statement released upon arrival, Li said that under the strategic guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, China and Russia set a model for a new type of international relations and relations between neighboring major countries.

Over the past 75 years, China-Russia relations have withstood the test of changing international circumstances and become stronger and fresher over time, Li noted, adding that China-Russia relations in the new era have shown new vigor and vitality, with stronger mutual political trust, fruitful cooperation in various fields, deeply rooted friendship, and close and effective international coordination.

Li said his visit to Russia is aimed at implementing the consensus reached by the two heads of state, carrying forward the enduring friendship from generation to generation, and deepening mutually beneficial cooperation.

He pointed out that the two heads of state have met twice this year, laying out the top-level design and strategic plan for the new development of China-Russia relations at the new historical starting point of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.

It is believed that with joint efforts of both sides, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era will surely enter a brighter future, Li said.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and the beginning of the China-Russia Years of Culture. During Putin's state visit to China in May, Xi said that in the past three quarters of a century, the China-Russia relationship has grown stronger amidst wind and rain, and stood the test of a changing international landscape.

With concerted efforts from both sides, China-Russia relations have been moving forward steadily, with enhanced comprehensive strategic coordination and further cooperation on economy and trade, investment, energy, and people-to-people exchanges, at the subnational level and in other fields, Xi said.

Bilateral cooperation in traditional areas such as energy, resources, aerospace and connectivity has made steady progress, and cooperation in emerging areas such as scientific and technological innovation, cross-border e-commerce and automobile manufacturing has also enjoyed strong momentum.

In the first seven months of this year, China-Russia trade increased by 1.6 percent year on year to 136.67 billion U.S. dollars. The volume exceeded 240 billion dollars in 2023, close to 2.7 times that of a decade ago.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang, accompanied by senior Russian government officials, reviews the honor guard during a grand welcome ceremony at Vnukovo Airport in Moscow, Russia, Aug. 20, 2024. Li arrived here on Tuesday to hold the 29th regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of government and visit Russia at the invitation of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)