China and Russia pledge to boost ties and cooperation
Putin talks of 'natural partners and allies' as nations highlight their determination to exploit the vast potential for cooperation
China and Russia pledged yesterday to boost their bilateral ties and cooperation in international affairs, with Russian President Vladimir Putin describing the two nations as "natural partners and natural allies".
In a meeting with Premier Li Keqiang in Moscow, Putin said he looked forward to meeting his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Beijing next month.
The meeting between Li and Putin came after the nations signed 38 cooperation agreements on Monday, including a deal to open a yuan-rouble swap line worth 150 billion yuan (HK$189 billion) in an apparent move to reduce dependence on the US dollar.
The two nations also pledged to expand bilateral trade from about US$90 billion last year to US$100 billion next year, and cooperation in energy and finance.
"It's not the number [that's important] but … that they really promote cooperation," Russia's TASS news agency quoted Putin as saying.
