Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin’s welcome remarks for participants in the 130th Canton Fair on 14 October 2021
Mikhail Mishustin: Premier of the State Council
of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Li Keqiang, Ladies and gentlemen, Dear friends,
On behalf of the Government of the Russian Federation I
would like to personally welcome the participants in and guests of the 130th
China Import and Export Fair and the Pearl
River International Trade Forum.
For over half a century,
the Canton Fair has been a major business event in the Asia-Pacific Region. Russia’s high interest in it is annually demonstrated
by the active participation of entrepreneurs and hundreds of signed contracts.
Importantly, despite coronavirus-related restrictions,
representatives of Russian business circles will be able to visit the fair virtually.
I am convinced that this landmark event will help further advance Russia-China
trade and economic cooperation and development of business contacts.
This year will mark the 20th anniversary of
the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation between China and
Russia. It is the foundation of our relations of comprehensive partnership and
strategic interaction. Today, the relations are at their highest level in the
entire history. They continue to develop steadily. This long-term policy meets the
fundamental interests of the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of
China.
Our cooperation in countering COVID-19 has confirmed
the true spirit of friendship and partnership. Russia and China helped each
other in this difficult period by sending humanitarian supplies and medical
specialists on a reciprocal basis. They jointly established the production of the
Russian Sputnik V vaccine in China.
Trade and economic cooperation plays a key role in the
development of Russia-China ties. Bilateral trade has been growing rapidly in
2021. In January-July 2021, it rose by 29 percent to $74 billion.
These dynamics allows us to hope that we will set new
records by the end of the year and will soon reach the target to increase our
trade to $200 billion set by President of Russia Vladimir Putin and President
of China Xi Jinping.
Our investment cooperation is progressing. The portfolio
of the relevant inter-governmental commission includes about 90 major projects amounting
to $150 billion. We should consolidate and develop such trends and promote the establishment
of new joint ventures.
Our energy partnership has become strategic. Russia is
a reliable supplier of energy to China. We have been implementing major initiatives
in peaceful nuclear energy and maintaining comprehensive cooperation in outer space
exploration. There are joint projects implemented in industry, agriculture and
transport infrastructure.
The Russian Government pays
special attention to high-tech cooperation with our Chinese partners. We achieved
positive results in the framework of the cross years of scientific, technical
and innovative cooperation. I am sure our powerful scientific, educational and
innovative potential will make it possible to raise the Russian and Chinese
economies to a new level of technological development.
I would like to make special mention of the important role
played by regular meetings of the Prime Ministers of the two countries in coordinating
our joint efforts. My colleague and comrade, Mr Li Keqiang, and I will meet very soon – in late November. We will
discuss priority areas of our trade, economic, scientific, technical, and
humanitarian cooperation. We will make joint decisions on launching new
projects in various areas.
In conclusion, I would like to wish the 130th
Canton Fair success in its work. I expect that Russian and Chinese participants
will sign new commercial contracts whose implementation will give additional
impetus to the development of our comprehensive and multifaceted bilateral
cooperation.
Thank you.
