Sino-Russian Trade Hits $200 Billion Amid Strategic Alignments

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the volume of trade between their countries has reached approximately $200 billion, indicating an accelerating pace of bilateral cooperation in economic and strategic fields. During a joint press conference in Beijing, the Chinese President confirmed that trade volume rose by over 20% in April, emphasizing that mutual trust forms the cornerstone of bilateral relations. He expressed his country's aspiration to elevate relations with Russia to advanced levels, considering this cooperation a contribution to international justice amidst attempts by some parties to impose hegemony and unilateral global decision-making. For his part, the Russian President revealed the signing of 40 new agreements with China in the fields of trade and economic cooperation. Putin confirmed the use of local currencies the ruble and the yuan in bilateral commercial transactions as a measure to protect economic exchange from external interference. He also expressed Moscow's readiness to ensure a continuous flow of energy supplies to China, describing the level of relations between the two countries as unprecedented.