“The existing policy is that before visits by top officials, the foreign minister usually goes to the country to finish the preparations for the visit. So we expect Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Moscow somewhere in the beginning of April to discuss the current issues and to prepare for President Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia in particular. The dates are not agreed upon yet,” Denisov said.
The ambassador said that the visits are another sign of the trust between the countries. Denisov added that at least five meetings between Russian and Chinese leaders will take place this year.
“With regard to 2015, if we take into account what is called the material basis – the economy, economic and trade relations – then it would be naive to say the global economic crisis, the fall in oil prices, economic and financial crisis in Russia and the fall of the exchange rate will have no impact on our economic relations…. But we hope that the development impulse will remain in 2015,” Denisov said.
Denisov added that the existing partnership mechanisms will help to maintain the current level of cooperation.
“In the past year, two new bodies were established – a commission on investment partnership headed by Russian Deputy Prime Minister [Igor] Shuvalov and his Chinese counterpart, as well as the sub-commission on agriculture ruled by the agriculture ministers. I highlight these two bodies because to the known extent this is a step forward in the institutionalization of our economic partnership," Denisov said.
