NCC APR Director for Multilateral Cooperation Mr. Sergey Mikhnevich participated in the discussion on the future of Russia-China relationships at the RANEPA
An open discussion “The Eastern Question: The Future of Russia-China Relationships” was held at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA) on 21 November 2018. Director for Multilateral Cooperation Sergey Mikhnevich represented the National Coordination Center for Developing Economic Cooperation with the Countries of Asia-Pacific Region (NCC APR) at the event.
The discussion focused on a wide range of issues, including the roles of Russia and China in the modern world; their key interests in the Asia-Pacific region; spheres of Russian-Chinese cooperation; challenges in mutual relations; and cooperation prospects for the next 20 years.
Sergey Mikhnevich emphasized that serious progress has been made in the political relations between the two countries that in 30 years have shifted from confrontation to a close engagement. However, this progress is not accompanied by a comparable strengthening of economic links. Despite a positive dynamics of trade turnover between the two countries, its structure is far from perfectly meeting Russia`s interests. Russian export to China predominantly consists of commodities, Chinese export to Russia – of finished products.
Among the reasons of such state of play Sergey Mikhnevich named a lack of cooperation experience for most businesses except a few large companies; a lack of skilled staff that understands peculiarities of doing business with China and speaks Chinese; negative external factors related to risks for Chinese partners arising from sanctions against Russia; as well as difficulties with transposing high-level agreements to lower levels for their practical implementation.