MOSCOW, June 3. /TASS/. Russia does not doubt that all required agreements with China on the issue of energy supplies will be reached, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, adding that commercial negotiations continue.
"Regarding the aspects of commercial talks that are underway, they are obviously out of public view. This is absolutely normal that each country protects its own interests. And here the talks will continue as the political will of the two countries’ leadership for that is in place. Whereas the agreement of commercial issues will continue and we have no doubt that all necessary agreements will be reached," he said when asked whether Moscow had suggested Beijing buy gas at prices at the level of its domestic market.
The issue of continued Sino-Russian cooperation in the area of energy supplies "was indeed on the agenda of the talks" between Russian and Chinese leaders, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, Peskov added. "And overall, as it was also stated in the bilateral declaration signed, both Russia and China, as it was confirmed by leaders of the two countries, are interested in continuing and deepening the energy dialogue," he said.
Putin paid a state visit to China on May 16-17, specifically the cities of Beijing and Harbin. This was his first foreign visit after he was reelected as the Russian president.
Following full-scale talks in Beijing, Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed a joint statement on deepening relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation, entering a new era in the context of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The Russian leader emphasized that the document set new large-scale tasks and outlined long-term prospects for the development of the entire complex of Russian-Chinese relations.