(VOVworld) – The Russia-China meeting on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Beijing, China, has caught special attention from the international community. This has been the 10th meeting between the two countries’ top leaders in two years. Several documents and cooperative agreements in important areas were signed, showing their determination to build a special relationship of Asian and European powers.
The Chinese and Russian Presidents witnessed the signing of 17 cooperative documents. One of them concerns about the construction of a gas pipeline to supply 38 billion cubic meters of gas annually from Russia to China under an agreement signed in May. Once the pipeline is completed, China will become Russia’s biggest fuel importer, surpassing the EU.
The two countries have agreed to jointly carry out an energy project in Arkhangelsk and fund, build, and operate a hydropower plant in Russia’s Far East. Other cooperative agreements concern finance, high-speed railway, information technology, and space technology.
Mutually beneficial relations
Common geopolitical concerns and concerns about the US have brought Russia and China closer. The Ukrainian crisis has pushed Russia and the US toward a new cold war, the worst period since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. As before, China has become a key third party. Russia has the advantage in gaining China’s support because the two share close economic and political view similarities. The two permanent members of the UN Security Council have been allies on a number of global issues involving Syria, Iran, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Enhancing its relations with China will help Russia avoid isolation and secure new investment resources to cope with sanctions from the west.
China needs Russia’s support on various issues. China’s economic growth requires it to find new material and energy sources. Territorial disputes have damaged China’s relations with other countries and China seems to be alone on its path of territorial expansion.
Building a relationship of Asia-Europe powers
Agreements signed on the sidelines of the APEC summit were a political and economic success for China and Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to convey a message that efforts to isolate Russia are unjust. China now has a supply of natural fuel that will reduce the environmental impact of coal burning in its major cities. China will import fuel to Asia at the same price as to Europe.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping have made friendly gestures to each other. Putin said China-Russia cooperation will ensure that the world abides by international law and develops stably. Xi compared the Russia-China relationship to a fruit tree at harvest time. They agreed that despite global changes, the two countries will uphold their commitment to expand and strengthen their relations.