Kremlin Expects Significant Results from Putin’s Trip to China This Week
Strengthening the Russia-China Partnership
High Expectations for Putin’s Visit
MOSCOW, May 18 (Reuters) - Russia has high expectations for President Vladimir Putin's trip to China this week, and the two sides will use it to develop their "privileged partnership", the Kremlin said on Monday.
Putin is to visit China on Tuesday and Wednesday, less than a week after U.S. President Donald Trump went there for talks with President Xi Jinping.
"We have very serious expectations for this visit," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
The "No Limits" Partnership
The so-called "no limits" partnership between China and Russia, the world's biggest producer of natural resources, has strengthened since the West imposed sanctions to punish Russia for the war in Ukraine.
Strategic and Privileged Relations
"We and our Chinese friends refer to it as a particularly privileged and strategic partnership," Peskov said.
Delegation and Economic Agenda
Key Members of the Russian Delegation
The Russian delegation will include relevant deputy prime ministers, government ministers and company heads, he said.
Discussion of Major Projects
Power of Siberia 2 Gas Pipeline
Peskov was asked if plans would be discussed for the proposed Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, which could one day deliver an additional 50 billion cubic metres (bcm) per year from Russia's Arctic gas fields via Mongolia to China.
"All issues that are on the economic agenda of our bilateral relations will naturally be addressed," he replied.
(Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; Writing by Lucy Papachristou; Editing by Mark Trevelyan/Guy Faulconbridge)