The recent months have refuted expectations that relations between Moscow and Beijing were «fragile» and demonstrated a common strategic vision and willingness to support one another in addressing complex foreign policy challenges.

China, being the world’s leading economy, is already today Russia’s largest trading partner. Complementarity of the countries’ economies, the common border, large-scale transport projects, cooperation in key sectors, participation in BRICS and SCO — these and other factors serve as major drivers for all existing and new bilateral initiatives. The potential of these relationships is to a large extent determined by their content and current trends.