Tatarstan President takes part in talks of Russian and Chinese Presidents

On May 20, during his visit to the People’s Republic of China on the Russian delegation, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov took part in talks of Presidents of Russia and China, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, in Shanghai.

As Vladimir Putin stated in the course of the talks, Russia and China, increasing the trade turnover, intend to change the trade and economic relations. He noted that in the course of private conference the leaders discussed issues of bilateral relations and international order of the day. “Our countries have reached a new level of comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation. China is Russia’s leading foreign trade partner,” Russia President said.

He reminded that last year trade turnover between the two countries increased to 2 per cent and amounted to $90 billion. The positive trend is holding and trade turnover made up more than 2 per cent in the first quarter of 2014. “We will work to bring it to $100 billion. We have everything we need to achieve this,” the President said.

“At the same time we expect the growth of quantitative characteristics shall be followed by quality changes in trade and economic relations,” Vladimir Putin noted. According to him, it’s necessary to continue efforts to expand mutual investment for that.

Holding of Russian-Chinese EXPO this summer in Harbin is aimed at solution of this task. In addition, Russia invites China to become a partner of the main international exhibition “INNOPROM” in Ekaterinburg in 2015. According to Putin, cooperation shall be promoted in technology-intensive areas, such as civil aviation, space, and atomics.

Russia President noted as well that Russian-Chinese cooperation became an important factor of international stability. “We have agreed on closer coordination of our foreign policy actions, including those made within the framework of the UN, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation” Vladimir Putin said.

At the end of the negotiations he reported that positions of Russia and China largely coincide. “We share the same priorities both on a global and regional scale.”

Following the talks, agreements and treaties were signed. Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov and Hunan Province Governor Du Jiahao signed cooperation agreements between government of Tatarstan and government of Hunan in trade, economy, science and technology, and culture in the presence of Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.