Reuters-China urges deeper trade ties with Russia despite Western rebuke
September 20, 2023 3 min 509 words
这则报道展示了中国和俄罗斯在经济领域的密切合作，尽管西方对俄罗斯入侵乌克兰的行为表示不满。中国强调了与俄罗斯的跨境互联互通以及更深入的贸易和投资合作，强调两国将在两国元首的“战略指导”下继续加深经贸合作。这表明中国和俄罗斯将继续紧密合作，不受西方的影响。 这种合作对俄罗斯来说尤为重要，因为在乌克兰战争进入第二年并且受到西方制裁的情况下，俄罗斯正在依赖中国的经济支持。中国对俄罗斯石油、天然气和粮食的需求为俄罗斯提供了重要的经济支持。与此同时，中国坚决拒绝了西方对其与俄罗斯合作的批评，坚称这种合作不违反国际规范，中国有权与任何国家合作。这种立场表明中国坚定地支持俄罗斯，无论外部压力如何。 报道还指出，中俄合作在俄罗斯远东地区取得了新的战略意义，成为一个跨境贸易和商业的重要区域。这对俄罗斯来说是一个重要的机遇，可以减少对欧洲的出口，因为俄罗斯认为欧洲在政治上不友好。此外，中俄合作还在粮食贸易领域取得进展，有助于增强中国的粮食安全。 最后，报道提到了中国和俄罗斯计划建设一个连接俄罗斯和中国黑龙江省的粮食走廊，这将进一步加强两国之间的经济联系。总之，这篇报道突显了中俄之间在经济领域的密切合作，以及它对双方的战略重要性，尽管西方对此表示反感。
China on Tuesday urged increased cross-border connectivity with Russia and deeper mutual trade and investment cooperation, as both allies vowed ever closer economic ties despite disapproval from the West after Russian forces invaded Ukraine last year.
The Russian minister of economic development held "in-depth" discussions on economic cooperation with the Chinese commerce minister in Beijing on Tuesday, coinciding with a trip by China's top diplomat, Wang Yi, to Moscow for strategic talks that led to the confirmation of Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Beijing next month.
Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said in the Beijing discussions that Sino-Russian economic and trade cooperation had continued to deepen and become more "solid" under the "strategic guidance" of the two heads of state, according to a statement from his ministry.
With the war in Ukraine well in its second year and Russia under Western sanctions, Moscow has leaned on its ally Beijing for economic support, feeding on Chinese demand for oil and gas as well as grain.
In August, Chinese imports of Russian goods rose 3% from a year earlier to $11.5 billion, reversing a decline of 8% in July, the latest Chinese customs data show.
Beijing has rejected Western criticism of its growing partnership with Moscow in light of Russia's war on Ukraine. It insists the ties do not flout international norms, and China has the prerogative to collaborate with whichever country it chooses.
On Tuesday, Group of Seven ministers reiterated its call, without naming any countries, on third parties to "cease any and all assistance to Russia's war of aggression or face severe costs."
The Russian Far East bordering China as well as North Korea has gained new strategic significance as a zone of cross-border trade and commerce.
Last week, Russia's United Oil- and Gas-Chemical Co. and China's Xuan Yuan Industrial Development agreed to build a transshipment oil complex near a railway bridge linking the Russian town of Nizhneleninskoye to China's Tongjiang as Moscow diversifies its exports of commodities away from Europe, which it now deems politically "unfriendly".
The Russian Far East, where about 70% of the country's seafood is caught, also hopes to boost exports of its marine products to China after Beijing banned seafood from Japan due to the release of radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima plant into the ocean.
Chinese state media also says there is a growing "necessity" for China and Russia to step up their grain trading amid continued tight global supplies. The construction of a grain corridor linking Russia to Heilongjiang, China's northeastern bread basket, will help bolster China's food security.
Earlier in September, Chinese President Xi Jinping declared that Heilongjiang should become a "pivotal" gateway for China's opening up in the north, saying the province ought to play an active role in safeguarding national defence, food, and energy security.