The Great Game Changer: Belt and Road Intiative (BRI; OBOR)

[TaiShang]

Russia, China to uphold world peace, WWII history

MOSCOW, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Russia and China will jointly celebrate the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Second World War to uphold world peace and wartime history.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday met here with Li Zhanshu, a senior official of Communist Party of China (CPC).

Putin said he expected Chinese President Xi Jinping to come to Moscow for the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Great Patriotic War on May 9.

According to Putin, the two countries' joint celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Second World War would help safeguard world peace against attempts to distort history and glorify invaders.

Li, member of the CPC Central Committee's Political Bureau and member of the CPC Central Committee's Secretariat as well as director of the CPC Central Committee's General Office, said that China and Russia, as two main battlefields in Asia and Europe during World War II, had made enormous contributions to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War.

China and Russia have decided to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the victory of World War II in both countries, which is of great significance to commemorating martyrs, remembering the history, cherishing and safeguarding world peace while serving a wake up call for future, Li added.

According to Li, President Xi has always treated the development of China-Russia relations as priorities and valued highly the sound working relationship and personal friendship with President Putin.

Putin said Russia is willing to work with China and push forward bilateral cooperation in all fields, and asked Li to extend his good wishes to President Xi.

During the past two years, the two heads of state have met eight times, reaching a series of important consensus on strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership and bilateral cooperation in all spheres.

Those meetings and consensus, said Li, have ushered in a new era of bilateral relations, with constant fruitful results.

As the two leaders would maintain close contacts this year at bilateral and multilateral levels, Li pledged that the General Office of the CPC Central Committee is willing to work closely with the Russian Presidential Administration to implement consensus on cooperation and make the celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the victory of the WWII a success.

Li also held talks with Russian Presidential Administration Chief Sergei Ivanov, and exchanged views on the mechanism of enhancing contacts between the two sides. They also met the press together after the talks.

 

[SelfServeFive]

A mutual defense pact will be the next step.

 

[TaiShang]

A mutual defense pact will be the next step.

Can't wait to see the signing of it. Then the SCO can comfortably become the Eurasian NATO.

 

[Hindustani78]

Putin pushes for monetary union between Moscow, Minsk and Astana : UNIAN news
20.03.2015 | 15:59

The time has come to consider a monetary union between Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday after meeting with the leaders of Belarus and Kazakhstan, according to Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

REUTERS
"I think it's time to talk about the possibility of the formation of a monetary union in the long term," Putin said.

According to Putin, the parties also discussed the issue of Eurasian integration.

"Working shoulder to shoulder, it is easier to respond to external financial and economic threats and to protect our joint market," he said.

As reported earlier, the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEC) is an economic union, which was created on January 1, 2015 on the basis of the Customs Union between Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus within the framework of the Eurasian integration.

On February 26, 1999 Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan signed the Treaty on the Customs Union and the Common Economic Space.

 

[MarkusS]

Putin pushes for monetary union between Moscow, Minsk and Astana : UNIAN news
20.03.2015 | 15:59

The time has come to consider a monetary union between Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday after meeting with the leaders of Belarus and Kazakhstan, according to Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

REUTERS
"I think it's time to talk about the possibility of the formation of a monetary union in the long term," Putin said.

According to Putin, the parties also discussed the issue of Eurasian integration.

"Working shoulder to shoulder, it is easier to respond to external financial and economic threats and to protect our joint market," he said.

As reported earlier, the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEC) is an economic union, which was created on January 1, 2015 on the basis of the Customs Union between Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus within the framework of the Eurasian integration.

On February 26, 1999 Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan signed the Treaty on the Customs Union and the Common Economic Space.

wow...what a powerful group. If they add netherlands they would grow 100% ha ha ha ha

 

[Hindustani78]

wow...what a powerful group. If they add netherlands they would grow 100% ha ha ha ha

Russian Federation is working to counter EU which is an economic block.

 

[opruh]

wow...what a powerful group. If they add netherlands they would grow 100% ha ha ha ha

In terms of gdp? then you are way off, please recheck your sources.

 

[MarkusS]

Russian Federation is working to counter EU which is an economic block.

Good luck then with such pathetic partners...come on. You might not like us but even you must admit that looks sad...

In terms of gdp? then you are way off, please recheck your sources.

If your only partners are some pathetic countries like belarus and kazhakstan...then you know your "eurasian union" is a scam. I doubt Putin is happy about this. There was a time when he was best friends with italy, germany, france. When Berlusconi, Chirac and Schröder were his personal friends. He never showed himself with guys like Lukaschenko oder that Borat from Kazhaktstan. Now it just looks like he is not invited to the glamour club...so he invites the freaks to be not alone.

 

[TaiShang]

China and Russia to step up energy cooperation
CCTV

‪#‎China‬ and ‪#‎Russia‬ are set to reach more ‪#‎energy‬ trade deals later this year, in a further sign that Russia may move away from Western energy markets and turning to the East.

The cooperation plan between the two countries includes the construction of a new gas pipeline, known as the “Western route.” The pipeline will cut through Russia's Altai Republic to connect fields in western Siberia to northwest China.

During a visit to Beijing in November last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin reached a preliminary agreement to supply China with 30 billion cubic meters of gas per year under the Western route project.

According to Russia's state-owned Gazprom, it is determined to complete the construction of the new pipeline by 2018. However many details, including the price of the gas, are still being worked out.

This comes in addition to the “Eastern” route deal, which was signed between Gazprom and China’s CNPC in May 2014. The $400-billion deal stipulates that 38 billion cubic meters of Russian gas will be supplied annually to China over a period of 30 years.

Discussing the deals in November last year, Gazprom CEO Aleksey Miller was quoted as saying that once the projects are complete, the volume of gas that Russia delivers to China can exceed the current volumes of export to Europe.

Analysts say that Moscow has been actively looking eastwards to sell natural gas and oil, with Central Asia and China being key markets.

"Russia is increasing its profile in Asia as a seller of oil and gas and other resources like this. And this is very good news, especially because we have already created, going to create more of that, a whole new system of economic cooperation," says Dmitry Kosyrev, a foreign affairs commentator with RIA Novosti.

 

[Aepsilons]

Good to see the blossoming relationship between Russia and China.

 

[Víðarr]

Good to see the blossoming relationship between Russia and China.

You're too diplomatic!!! But this isn't really blossoming, it's been ongoing for a while now. Since 1991, Russian-Chinese cooperation has been centered around energy cooperation. And sorry I don't have a better source.

Sino-Russian relations since 1991 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Scope of Economic Cooperation between Russia and China and Future Prospects

And!

Still relying too much on energy cooperation. Russia needs diversification, not more of the same old, same old. Perhaps a partnership with Japanese or Chinese tech businesses, that's something that can help make Russia more competitive. More energy deals are only short-term fixes to long-term structural failures.

This Russian isn't happy.

Much depressed.

 

[Aepsilons]

Still relying too much on energy cooperation. Russia needs diversification, not more of the same old, same old. Perhaps a partnership with Japanese or Chinese tech businesses, that's something that can help make Russia more competitive. More energy deals are only short-term fixes to long-term structural failures.

This Russian isn't happy.

I'm hoping that the planned Pipeline connecting Sakhalin to Hokkaido will be realized soon. This should boost economic integration of Russian Far East with Northern Japan.

Let's hope for more positive collaboration between Moscow and Tokyo so we can realize this.

Sakhalin to Hokkaido gas pipeline talks reignited between Russia and Japan? — Pipelines International

 

[Víðarr]

I'm hoping that the planned Pipeline connecting Sakhalin to Hokkaido will be realized soon. This should boost economic integration of Russian Far East with Northern Japan.

Let's hope for more positive collaboration between Moscow and Tokyo so we can realize this.

Sakhalin to Hokkaido gas pipeline talks reignited between Russia and Japan? — Pipelines International

A good development, I too hope for continued progress, but again, the underlying trend and structural weakness remains. Russia is nothing more than a gas-station right now, it's not taking the necessary steps towards diversification and is sticking mainly with energy diplomacy!!! I want to see a more comprehensive and diverse relationship between it and its trading partners, not more energy deals.



But good news is good news and I'm an optimistic person, so if this pipeline goes through I wont complain too much.

 

[Aepsilons]

This Russian isn't happy.

You know, as a Northern Japanese (who has maternal side that are part Ainu) and with a fondness for Russian Culture , I hope to see (one day) a blossoming relationship between Japan and Russia. I think that Russia is a natural partner for Japan given our geographical proximities and our growing trade , growing cultural exposure to each other.

Why even in Japan there is a fascination for Russian culture and Russian people , especially in my part of the country (The Great North of Japan, and the Great Proud people of Hokkaido).

As Japan develops a more robust foreign policy, I hope to see greater collaboration with Russia. On all fields.

A good development, I too hope for continued progress, but again, the underlying trend and structural weakness remains. Russia is nothing more than a gas-station right now, it's not taking the necessary steps towards diversification and is sticking mainly with energy diplomacy!!! I want to see a more comprehensive and diverse relationship between it and its trading partners, not more energy deals.

I agree ! And Russia has so much potential for more than just being an energy supplier, but a technological beacon for the region. Afterall, no one can counter or argue of Russia's impressive military technology, or the capabilities of the Great Russian Navy.

I hope that Japan seizes the initiative and helps develop the Russian Far East; Vladivostok , Kamchatkya and beyond !

 

[Yizhi]

LOL...hats off to your diplomatic skills!. @Nihonjin1051