Lavrov says Putin will meet Xi "tomorrow, the day after tomorrow" in Beijing
Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet "tomorrow, the day after tomorrow" with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, to exchange views on bilateral relations, which "are booming", Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said today in Beijing.
The head of Russian diplomacy made this statement when he met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, according to Lavrov's speech, which was broadcast live by his department.
Wang also confirmed that "tomorrow" Putin will take part in the 3rd Forum of the Belt and Road for International Cooperation at Xi's invitation.
He expressed the conviction that Putin's participation in the Forum and his talks with Xi "will be very useful" for the progress of strategic interaction between Beijing and Moscow.
Lavrov said Russia is interested in making the forum "successful".
"I am sure it will be. The fact that almost 150 delegations from various countries and organisations will participate in it underlines the importance of this project and its very good prospects," he added.
The Russian president in turn said in an interview with China Media Group ahead of his trip to Beijing that he expects the best from the forum.
"Perhaps it is too early to insist on it, but I am sure that contracts will be signed; new contacts will be established between economic players; heads of government, various ministries and departments that cooperate directly will meet," he said.
Putin added that the Russian proposals run to several pages "and each project may represent something we will work on for more than a year, maybe a decade".
He also said he has no doubt that trade between Russia and China will reach the $200 billion he and Xi had set as a target by the end of the year.
He also stressed that the two countries have intense cooperation in the field of energy, especially in the supply of oil and gas.
On the geopolitical level, he stressed that relations between Russia and China are "a fundamental factor" for the stability of the world, in which both nations are committed to multipolarity and not to the "colonial thinking" of the United States.
Lavrov said Russia was interested in making the 3rd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, which Putin will attend, "successful".
"I am sure it will be. The fact that nearly 150 delegations from various countries and organisations will participate in it underlines the importance of this project and its very good prospects," he added.
Wang expressed his conviction that Putin's participation in the Forum and his talks with Xi "will be very useful" for the progress of strategic interaction between Beijing and Moscow.