Russia, China to solidify ties

Xi Jinping arrived in Russia on March 22, a visit that will be his first overseas trip as President of China. According to the Chinese leader, this visit will give a fresh impetus to strategic partnership between Moscow and Beijing. Experts say that all necessary conditions are now in place to contribute to expanding bilateral cooperation.

In a televised interview broadcast earlier this week, Xi Jinping outlined three main topics related to the Russian-Chinese dialogue. The first theme is beefing up support of issues concerning vital interests of both countries. The second subject is enhancing practical collaboration between Russia and China, Mr.Xi said, adding that the two’s annual trade turnover is due to stand at 100 billion dollars by 2015. The third topic is coordinating actions on the global arena, Mr. Xi pointed out. Upholding principles of international law, including those concerning non-interference in sovereign states’ domestic affairs, turns Russia and China into natural allies, says Vasily Kashin, of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies in Moscow.

“China sees Russia as a partner in its standoff with the United States, Kashin says. On many international issues, such as Syria, Moscow and Beijing act as a single front against Washington and its allies. Speaking of a military alliance between Russia and China is irrelevant, of course, but politically, we support each other in terms of jointly countering the West.”

Beijing knows perfectly well that in case of the China-US competition turning into a full-fledged conflict, the US Navy may block maritime channels of hydrocarbon supplies to China.  This is why Beijing seeks to boost energy cooperation with Moscow as Russian companies continue to deliver oil to Chinese market. According to Rosneft chief executive Igor Sechin, Russia may increase annual oil exports to China from the current 15 million tons to 50 million tons.

Meanwhile, the two countries remain at odds over gas-related issues that are expected to be high on the agenda of Mr. Xi’s talks with his Russian counterpart. For his part, the Russian President’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that no bilateral agreement on gas supplies will be signed during Mr.Xi’s visit to Moscow. However, this does not mean that the conclusion of a relevant treaty will fail to see the light of day in the near future, says Konstantin Kokarev, of the Moscow-based Institute of Strategic Studies.

“The very fact that we have been discussing a gas price formula for a long time means that sooner or later , both sides will agree on the matter. All the more so that the two countries’ energy cooperation remains a main component of our relation in the energy sector,” Kokarev says.

In this week’s interview with Russia’s ITAR-TASS news agency, President Vladimir Putin pointed out China’s special role in Russia’s economy and foreign policy. He recalled that bilateral trade turnover has more than doubled in the past five years. He also stressed that at present, “Russian-Chinese relations are on the rise and see their best period in their centuries-old history”.

M.D