Medvedev: Russia-China Relations Are Important Factor in World Politics

The relations between Russia and China on the international arena are becoming an increasingly important factor in the global politics, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said in an interview with Chinese media ahead of his four-day visit to China.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — According to Medvedev, today, the multidimensional ties between Russia and China are at their peak.

"Let me emphasise that Russia and China maintain their global strategic cooperation in international affairs, and their relations are an increasingly important factor in international relations," Medvedev said, as quoted by the People's Daily newspaper.

According to the prime minister, if relations between other countries had been similar to those between Russia and China, “the world would have been a much better place.”

“[Moscow and Beijing] are staunch opponents of pressure against sovereign countries, including through unilateral sanctions, the use of force or double standards,” Medvedev added.

China is the leading economic partner of Russia. Currently, the two countries are actively cooperating in a multitude of fields, most notably on energy, infrastructure, finance and defense.

Medvedev is scheduled to launch his China visit on Monday. During the trip, Medvedev will take part in the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Heads of Government Council in Zhengzhou and will hold talks with his Chinese counterpart  Li Keqiang in Beijing.