MOSCOW, December 14. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin positively evaluates decisions made at the recent Chinese Communist Party Congress.
"As for decisions made at the recent Chinese Communist Party Congress, I welcome them and evaluate them positively. During the Congress, a positive agenda for China’s development and the construction of international relations was clarified, which is fully in line with or very similar to our plans for Russia’s development and international relations, as well as for Russia’s place in the world," Putin said at his annual news conference on Thursday.
The Russian leader particularly pointed to the economic aspect. According to him, China’s economy has been developing rapidly thanks to the policy pursued by the country’s President Xi Jinping and his predecessors. "China seeks to ensure, first and foremost, stability, and second, the country’s development, in order to improve the life of its people. For us it is very important, because China is our major trade and economic partner and a strategic partner in the widest sense of the word," Putin added.
He went on to say that as for the interstate level, trade between Russia and China was the largest, reaching $63 bln. "It slightly dropped because of the global economic crisis but are rapidly moving to the previous level and we are confident that in the near future we will even exceed it," Putin said. When speaking about new possibilities, the Russian president noted that China’s Silk Road initiative was perfectly compatible with the development of the Eurasian Economic Union and Russia’s proposals concerning a broad partnership in Asia.
As for cooperation with China, Putin particularly mentioned the Northern Sea Route. "For instance, China has been very interested in the Northern Sea Route, which is a natural thing, because if we ensure the year-round use of the Northern Sea Route - and I am sure that we will do that eventually - then the movement of goods between Asia and Europe will be more economically feasible," Putin said, adding that Russia would facilitate those plans in every possible way.
Putin noted that China was also one of the major investors in the Yamal LNG project. "This is about China’s economic interests, and we will facilitate this project and others in every possible way," he said, pointing to pipeline gas projects, plans to ensure the movement of goods between China and Europe through Russia’s territory, as well as space and aviation projects.