Russian premier on business trip to China

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - As part of high-level exchanges between the two nations, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin began his two-day business trip to China on Tuesday.

Expecting that the trade volume between Russia and China will reach $200 billion this year, Mishustin said the two sides can “cooperate on shipbuilding, the production of civilian drones, and the timber industry.”

He is currently visiting Shanghai, the Chinese daily Global Times reported.

The invitation to the Russian premier was extended by his Chinese counterpart Li Qiang, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

China and Russia have recently undertaken high-level visits, with President Xi Jinping paying a state visit to Moscow in March followed by the Chinese defense minister’s trip.

During his meeting with Xi in Moscow, Mishustin said the bilateral trade between Russia and China last year had approached $190 billion.“I am convinced that already this year, we will fulfill the task set by you (Xi Jinping) and Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, to bring the (bilateral) trade to $200 billion,” Mishustin told Xi in Moscow.