A meeting of the co-chairs of the Russian-Chinese Commission for Cooperation and Development of the Russian Far East and the Northeast of the People’s Republic of China was held in Beijing. The Russian part of the commission is headed by Deputy Prime Minister – Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of Russia in the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev. The head of the Chinese part of the commission is Deputy Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Zhang Guoqing.
“The meeting, which is taking place on the eve of the 28th regular meeting of the heads of government of Russia and China, is of particular importance. The world is changing rapidly. Russia is participating in a special military operation. Our country has been declared an economic war by Western states, thousands of sanctions have been developed, the purpose of which is to stop the development of Russia. All these attempts are completely fruitless. Yesterday, on a direct line with citizens, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin announced that gross domestic product growth is expected to be 3.5% by the end of the year and the economy will grow further in 2024. We firmly know that we are defending the freedom and sovereignty of our country during a special military operation. Of course, Russia is interested in a peaceful settlement of the conflict. Unfortunately, due to the positions of Western countries, this procedure is complicated. All this together leads to the destruction of economic, cultural, and human ties, and to a loss of trust between countries. These factors do not contribute to the development of mankind. Therefore, the preservation and development of time–tested friendly relations between the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China creates one of the global axes that stabilize the situation in the world as a whole,” Yuri Trutnev opened the meeting.
“This year, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin held two meetings. Under the strategic leadership of the heads of our states, the mutual partnership of the two countries is developing at a high level. Political mutual trust is increasing, and our trade and economic ties are steadily strengthening. Today’s meeting is focused on fulfilling the instructions of the heads of our states in order to prepare the agenda for the meeting of the heads of government. The deepening of Chinese-Russian practical cooperation is more than bilateral in nature and is indeed gaining global importance. This year, Chinese-Russian economic cooperation, despite external negative challenges, is developing along a stable, accelerated trajectory. This is a new milestone in the development of Chinese-Russian trade and economic relations. Investment cooperation is steadily developing, major investment projects are being implemented,” Zhang Guoqing said.
The strengthening of Russian-Chinese cooperation in the Far East was discussed at the meeting. According to most economic indicators, such as investments in fixed assets, industrial production growth, housing commissioning, coal mining, gold production and agricultural products, the Far East is developing faster than other territories of Russia.
Yuri Trutnev noted the dynamics of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. “China is our country’s key economic partner in the Far East. Trade turnover between the Far Eastern regions and the northeastern provinces of China is steadily growing. It has doubled in 10 years and amounted to $22 billion in 2022. We expect it to reach $27 billion in 2023,” he said.
An effective system of state support measures has been created in the Far East: territories of advanced development, the free port of Vladivostok, the preferential regime of the Arctic zone, and a special regime on the Kuril Islands. Chinese investors hold a large share in the portfolio of projects implemented with the involvement of foreign capital.
“49 investment projects with the participation of Chinese capital with a total investment volume of almost $ 9 billion are being implemented in the Far East under preferential regimes. In a number of large investment projects, Chinese companies are technology suppliers, carry out complex contracts and participate in the commissioning of facilities,” the Russian Deputy Prime Minister said.
One of the possibilities for expanding cooperation may be the creation of an international TOP. The Russian side is ready to discuss with the Chinese side the terms of cooperation that correspond to mutual interests.
The issues of logistics infrastructure were considered, including the work of the Blagoveshchensk – Heihe and Nizhneleninskoye – Tongjiang bridge crossings. In 11 months of this year, 3.2 million tons of cargo were transported through them.
The prospects of cooperation within the framework of the development of the Northern Sea Route were assessed. Chinese carriers are already taking advantage of the opportunities of this international transport corridor. This year, New New Shipping Line has completed eight flights from China to the ports of Murmansk and St. Petersburg.
Special attention was paid to cooperation in the tourism industry. Direct flights from the cities of the Far East – Vladivostok, Khabarovsk, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Ulan-Ude, Yakutsk – to the cities of the People’s Republic of China have been resumed. An important event was the resumption of the visa-free regime for group tourist trips of Chinese citizens to the Russian Federation from August 1, 2023. Of the 37,000 Chinese tourists who visited Russia under this program, 80% chose the Far East.
The holding of the next meeting of the intergovernmental commission was discussed. The Russian side proposed to hold it on the territory of the Far East.
On the same day, Yuri Trutnev met with representatives of Chinese companies interested in implementing investment projects in the Far East. Cooperation in the fields of industry, energy, agriculture and logistics was discussed.
A source: government.ru
