Russian-Chinese trade turnover is breaking new records: Lavrov

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russian-Chinese trade turnover is breaking new records, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday as he hailed the mutually beneficial and longstanding partnership between the two countries.

Lavrov made the remarks at a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the capital Beijing after holding talks with his counterpart Wang Yi earlier in the day.

Lavrov's tour is believed to be in preparation for an official visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin following his reelection in March. Last year, Xi chose Russia for his first foreign visit after his reelection and Putin is said to be planning to return the courtesy.

Russia and China are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations this year, which adds to the probability of Putin choosing China for his first foreign trip.

At his meeting with Xi, Lavrov emphasized that relations between the two countries are developing successfully.

"Trade turnover is breaking new records…The foreign policy ‘nexus’ between Moscow and Beijing is the locomotive of efforts that are gaining more and more supporters for the formation of a fairer multipolar world order and ensuring security on the Eurasian continent," he said.

Lavrov recalled that in 1949, the Soviet Union was the first state in the world to recognize the newly formed Chinese People's Republic, noting that over the course of the last three quarters of a century, Russia and China have built relations based on mutual trust, good neighborliness, friendship and equality.

He praised the role of the Russian and Chinese leaders in cultivating and maintaining the mutually beneficial partnership.

“It is thanks to the leaders’ diplomacy that Russian-Chinese ties demonstrate stability and the ability to adapt to any -- even the most difficult -- conditions. Russian-Chinese relations are based on mutual support in matters affecting the fundamental interests of our states," he said.

From March 20-22 last year, Xi visited Russia in his first overseas trip since being reelected president during the 2023 National People's Congress. He met with Putin both in an official and unofficial capacity.

The Russian presidential election, the first three-day presidential vote in the country's history, took place from March 15-17 with incumbent Putin winning the race.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in March that Putin had already chosen the country for his first international trip.