Russia-China partnership 'yielding results', Putin says

Moscow has looked to Beijing as an economic lifeline since the Ukraineconflict began, with the two boosting trade to record highs as Russia facesheavy economic sanctions from the West.
"Our trade relations are developing successfully... The attention that thetwo governments on both sides are paying to trade and economic ties isyielding results," Putin said in a meeting with Li.
"Our states have worked out large-scale joint plans, projects in economic andhumanitarian spheres, we expect for many years ahead," he added.
Li told Putin that "Chinese-Russian relations are at an unprecedentedly highlevel," according to the Kremlin's translation of his remarks, saying Putinand Chinese leader Xi Jinping had created a "strong impulse for furtherdeepening of bilateral relations".
In a separate meeting with Li, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustinhailed the countries' links as a stabilising element.
"Our partnership and strategic cooperation is especially important in asituation where new contours of the global order are being formed," Mishustinsaid.
"And in these conditions, the Russia-China link is a powerful stabilisingfactor, promoting economic growth in both countries and increasing quality oflife for our citizens," the Russian premier said.
Citing a joint communique, Chinese state media Xinhua said the two sidesagreed to optimize trade structure, grow bilateral trade volume and promotedevelopment of e-commerce, reports BSS.
It also said they would make efforts "to expand mutually beneficialcooperation in the Arctic" as well as bilateral agricultural trade.
- Trade ties -
Moscow and Beijing both rail against "western hegemony", particularly whatthey see as US domination of global affairs, and Mishustin on Wednesday saidthe two countries must "focus efforts on protecting our shared interests".
Xinhua said the two denounced countries that "use the so-called 'rules-basedorder' to maintain their own privileges" and decried their obstruction of"the collective rise of emerging markets and developing countries".
Facing Western sanctions, Russia has pushed to use non-Western currencies asthe basis for its trade.
"Today the share of the ruble and the yuan in mutual settlements is alreadyover 95 percent," Mishustin said.
China presents itself as a neutral party in Russia's offensive on Ukraine andsays it is not sending lethal assistance to either side, unlike the UnitedStates and other Western nations.
But it is a close political and economic ally of Russia, and NATO membershave branded Beijing a "decisive enabler" of the conflict, which it has nevercondemned.
Beijing has also benefited from cheap Russian energy imports and access tovast natural resources, including steady gas shipments through the Power ofSiberia pipeline.
Li's visit comes as India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Poland,set to make his first visit to Ukraine at the end of the week. India, China'sregional rival, is also close with Russia, but Modi has repeatedly called foran end to the conflict.