Russian prime minister to visit China next week following Xi's March trip

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin will visit China from May 23 to 24, Beijing’s foreign ministry and the Kremlin said on Friday.

RUSSIA-POLITICS-GOVERNMENT — Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin presents the government’s annual report at a session of the State Duma, the country’s lower house of parliament, in Moscow on March 23, 2023. Photo by Alexander Astafyev/Sputnik/AFP.

“At the invitation of Premier Li Qiang of the State Council, Russian Federation Prime Minister Mishustin will pay an official visit to China from May 23 to 24,” foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said in a statement.

Confirming the visit, the Kremlin said: “Russian-Chinese cooperation in trade and economic spheres will be discussed.”

“Particular attention will be given to the industry, energy, transport infrastructure and agriculture,” it added, saying a number of bilateral agreements were expected to be signed.

Mishustin will also visit Shanghai during his visit, where he will speak at a Russian-Chinese business forum, the Kremlin said.

Xi Jinping russia — Chinese leader Xi Jinping visits Russia in March 2023. Photo: kremlin.ru.

Russia and China have close relations, with President Xi Jinping visiting Moscow in March and saying ties were “entering a new era”.

And while China says it is a neutral party on the Ukraine war, it has been criticised for refusing to condemn Moscow for the invasion.

Chinese envoy Li Hui visited Kyiv this week, where he told Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and other officials that “there is no panacea to resolve the crisis”.