MOSCOW, March 12. /TASS/. The expansion of trade relations between Russia and China does not represent a threat of dependence - such arrangements were made by the leaders of the two countries before the deterioration of relations between Russia and the West, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.

"We don't see economic or political threats in this," Peskov said when asked if the Kremlin was concerned about Moscow's dependence on Beijing.

"During their meetings and negotiations, both [Russian] President Vladimir Putin and [Chinese] President Xi [Jinping] set the goal of further developing the volume of trade and economic relations, bringing them beyond $200 bln - even before the start of the special military operation," Peskov added.

Peskov stressed that Moscow and Beijing's economic cooperation "has a long history" and that relations between the two nations "are at their historical high." "Let's hope that this is not yet the peak. It is quite obvious that such a development is accompanied by rapid growth of trade and economic relations," he said.

According to data from China’s customs service, trade between Russia and China will increase by more than a quarter in 2023, surpassing $240 bln in value. At the same time, the countries aimed to reach a total of $200 bln by 2023.