(VOVworld) – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday began a 3-day official visit to China and will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Beijing this Wednesday. This is Putin’s first visit to the country in his third presidential tenure considered the most important event in the Sino Russian relations this year. Leaders of both nations will issue a joint communiqué and sign a series of cooperative agreements. VOV editor Hong Van summarizes the issue.

Russian President Putin will hold talks with his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao and meet with Wu Banggou, Chairman of the Standing Committee of Chinese National People's Congress, and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao to discuss a series of urgent international issues. These include the prospect of Russia and China working together at the UN, the G-20 meeting of developed and emerging economies, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum, the situations in the Korean Peninsula and the Middle East, as well as Iran’s nuclear program. Prior to the visit, Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Cheng Guoping expressed his hope that both leaders will align in cooperative fields, especially those of strategic significance.

According to analysts, economic cooperation, particularly in energy is also one of the main major purposes for the Russian President’s visit as Russia is looking for new markets while China wants to access resources at low prices. It seems both countries carefully prepared for a cooperative agreement during this visit. Last Friday, Russian and Chinese deputy Prime Ministers held talks on building a gas pipe line while previously leaders of Gazprom negotiated with China to resolve the difference in gas prices. Russian media reports that both countries are preparing for an aviation project to develop a new kind of long-distance commercial airlines. The two countries also plan to boost investment and cooperation in science-technology and innovations. They are determined to strengthen their strategic partnership and comprehensive relations which will be announced in a joint communiqué and some 17 cooperation agreements. These moves aim to increase the current two-way trade turnover of 80 billion USD a year to 100 billion dollars by 2015 and 200 billion dollars by 2020.

Putin’s visit to China after re-election reflects the importance Russia attaches importance to relations with China and prioritizes it in Russia’s external policy. President Putin said in February that China’s development is a great opportunity for Russia. Through the visit, Russia re-affirms its wish to maintain the existing ties with China and both countries will discuss many issues to boost the bilateral relations. In addition, Russia needs China’s alliance in international matters. According to Georgy Kunadze, an expert on China, the visit attests to Russia’s focus on external relations.

Hong Van