This article was originally published by Radio Free Asia and is reprinted with permission.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin accused Western countries of “containing” the potential of Russia and China, saying that the duo should jointly defend their shared interests and uphold the principles of a multipolar world order amidst increasing pressure from the West, state-run media reported.
Mishustin made the remarks when co-chairing the 29th regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of government with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Wednesday in Moscow.
“Western countries are trying to maintain their global dominance and contain the economic and technological potential of Russia and China,” Mishustin said, cited by the TASS news agency.
“That is why it is important to concentrate efforts on protecting our common interests, building a multipolar world order and strengthening coordination on international platforms,” he added.
Mishustin said Russia will join China in strengthening communication and coordination in international affairs, better safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of the two sides, without elaborating.
Li said China was ready to work with Russia to strengthen “all-round practical cooperation” between the two countries.
Focus on China
As the divide between Russia and the West grows, the Kremlin is increasingly focusing its attention on China, with ties between the two states growing ever stronger. In particular, strategic cooperation between Moscow and Beijing has visibly intensified in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
On May 29, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell spoke to NATO representatives in Brussels on the seriousness of Chinese-Russian relations.
In July, 32 NATO members also stated during the NATO summit in Washington that China played a crucial role in enabling Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by supporting its defense industry.
In the same week of the summit, the Chinese and Russian militaries conducted joint exercises in western Belarus near the border with NATO member Poland, though Beijing publicly denied that the exercises were aimed at the summit.
In a joint statement, the 32 NATO member states urged Beijing to cease its support for Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, which has provided Russia with the resources needed to produce weapons and military hardware despite strict U.S.-led trade sanctions.
While China has repeatedly denied sending weapons or military equipment to aid Russia’s war effort, Ukrainian forces on the ground have reported finding a growing number of components from China in Russian weapons.
After his meeting with Mishustin, the Chinese Premier met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin where Li reiterated China’s willingness to work with Russia on a global stage.
“Against the backdrop of accelerating changes in the world unseen in a century, China is ready to work with Russia to further strengthen multilateral coordination, deepen mutual trust and cooperation with developing countries, firmly promote a multi-polar world and economic globalization, and better safeguard its legitimate rights and interests and basic norms governing international relations,” Li said as cited by China’s Xinhua News Agency.
Li added that the steady development of China-Russia relations not only served the fundamental interests of the two countries and two peoples, but also contributed to regional and world peace, stability and prosperity.
Li also stressed that China was willing to work with Russia in “emerging areas” such as scientific, technological and industrial innovation as well as cultural, tourism, education, youth and sub-national exchanges and cooperation to promote mutual understanding between the two peoples.
An important part of bilateral cooperation has been seen in skyrocketing Chinese exports to Russia, with a recent analysis of Chinese customs data by Nathaniel Sher, a senior research analyst at Carnegie China, revealing that in 2023, some 90% of “high priority” dual-use use goods used to produce Russian weapons were imported from China.
In May Putin visited China for the first time since beginning a new term, and he and Chinese President Xi Jinping underlined their “long and strong” friendship, and a strategic partnership that has been described as having “no upper limits.”
At that time Xi described the China-Russia relationship today as “hard-earned,” saying “the two sides need to cherish and nurture it” in a joint statement.
“China is willing to … jointly achieve the development and rejuvenation of our respective countries and work together to uphold fairness and justice in the world,” Xi said in May.
