MOSCOW, May 12. /TASS/. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin will offer concrete initiatives to build the shortest cost-effective transport route at the upcoming Belt and Road Forum in Beijing (May 14-15), Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters.
"Our president, together with the Chinese leader and the UN Secretary General will speak at the opening ceremony of the forum (May 14). Vladimir Putin will present Russia’s vision of the prospects for economic development in Eurasia and propose a number of concrete initiatives to build the shortest cost-effective and efficient transport routes through the territory of Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union for the delivery of goods from the Atlantic to the Pacific," Ushakov said.
"During the forum, our president will hold talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Besides, the president will also meet with Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang. Bilateral meetings with President of the Czech Republic Milos Zeman and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras have been agreed upon. Several other meetings are currently under consideration, in addition, there will be some so-called meetings ‘on foot’," the Russian presidential aide said.
"In the context of promoting the Russian initiative to strengthen interconnection of the Asian Pacific countries in energy sector, this initiative was launched at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok in 2016. The partners will be invited to implement a unique joint project - that is, to create the Asian energy ring that could unite the energy systems of Russia, China, the Republic of Korea, Japan and, perhaps other countries as well," Ushakov said.
The Russian leader will touch upon transport infrastructure development during one the round table sessions, the official said.
"Our president will talk about large-scale programs for the modernization of the Baikal-Amur, the Trans-Siberian main lines, expansion of the ports' capacities in the Far East, as well as what resources our country is investing in the development of the Northern Sea Route, which in the future may become a key link between the European And the Asia-Pacific markets," Ushakov said.