Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and a delegation of colleagues traveled to China this week hoping to boost economic ties with Beijing.
But Mishustin’s counterpart, Premier Li Qiang, who invited him on the visit, reportedly refused to meet him at the China-Russia business forum on Tuesday. According to a Russian newspaper Vedomosti.
Senior officials and directors of major Chinese companies also refused to meet with him and his colleagues, many of whom are under sanctions in the West because of the Russian war in Ukraine, Vedomosti mentioned.
instead of, send me a message To the forum expressing interest in building cooperation with Russia and promoting Russian-Chinese trade, according to Global Times.
Mishustin is the highest-ranking Russian official to visit Beijing since Russia launched its invasion in 2022.
One source said: “Even big businessmen who wanted and were ready to speak out were not allowed to meet with the authorities – they didn’t want to take even the slightest risk.” Vedomosti.
Other harassment reportedly arose during the flight as well. A Chinese currency exchange center refused to transfer $100 yuan to a Russian official on the flight, because he shared the name of a sanctioned person.
Although stumbling during the visit, Mishustin was able to meet the Chinese president Xi Jinping Arriving in Shanghai and working on economic deals, Moscow Times mentioned. Shi, who met Mishustin in Beijing Also, he said in a statement that China will continue to work with Russia where common interests align.
“China is willing to continue to stand firm with Russia on issues of fundamental interest to both sides,” Xi said.
Li Mishustin was received in Beijing also.
The visit culminated in the Prime Minister of Russia Sign a series of agreements with ChinaAccording to Reuters.
The apparently mixed reception comes as China has worked to balance a strategically important relationship with Russia while Moscow wages war in Ukraine.
A US intelligence analysis reported that the Chinese president was surprised by a war effort by Russian President Vladimir Putin in early 2022. But China has benefited in some ways, Take advantage of reduced Russian oil and allowing its imports of Russian energy products to grow to $88 billion, according to figures tallied through February, Bloomberg reported.
China has avoided publicly condemning the war in Ukraine, and recently stepped in to offer to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia, albeit on terms more acceptable to Russia.
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