Russian PM applauds deeper ties with China on Beijing visit

May 24 (UPI) -- Russia and China are strengthening their bilateral cooperation on several fronts, advancing agreements reached between the two countries in March, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said in Beijing Wednesday.

Mishustin signed several documents while on the trip, formalizing agreements reached earlier in the year between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The agreements call for deeper ties between the two nations when it comes to trade investment, agricultural exports and sports among others.

"The decisions made by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping have set strategic reference points for boosting cooperation in the eight priority areas," Mishustin said during a meeting with premier Li Qiang, the Russian TASS News Agency reported.

"The governments of Russia and China have begun a coordinated effort to implement the agreements reached at the supreme level."

Mishustin said Tuesday, trade between the two countries grew to $200 billion this year, from $190 billion the previous year, while energy exports to China are up by 40%.

The prime minister said the two nations would work together, collectively pushing back against other countries using sanctions to "impose their will."

Xi traveled in March to Moscow for a face-to-face meeting with Putin, where the two sides agreed to greater cooperation. At the time, Xi also talked of brokering a cease-fire in Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine.

There was no mention of the issue Wednesday during Mishustin's trip to Beijing.

"We hope that the two sides will continue to take advantage of...the strong momentum of Sino-Russian cooperation, elevate cooperation in various fields...and continuously enrich the content of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between our two countries in the new era," Xi told Mishustin during their meeting, according to China's state-run Xinhua news agency.

"China is ready to work with Russia and countries of the Eurasian Economic Union to promote and connect the Belt and Road Initiative with the union in order to develop and establish a bigger regional market, ensure a more stable and robust global supply chain so [we can] bring real and tangible benefits to the countries in the region."