"It is difficult to overestimate the efforts that you have been making for many years to strengthen the relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction between our countries ... I look forward to continuing our constructive dialogue and close joint work on topical issues on the bilateral, regional and international agenda for the benefit of the peoples of Russia and China," the congratulatory telegram, published by the Kremlin, read.
Russia-China Trade Activity Unaffected by Secondary Sanctions
The risk of secondary sanctions has not affected the activity of Chinese businesses in Russia, while Moscow's pivot to the east has only benefited bilateral relations with Beijing, chairman of the Union of Chinese Entrepreneurs in Russia, Zhou Liqun, told Sputnik.
"The West's policy of sanctions toward Russia is extraterritorial in nature and involves the introduction of secondary sanctions, but this did not affect the Russian-Chinese trade and economic cooperation and did not change its general course. We also note with satisfaction that in the past two years, the Russian-Chinese trade has grown significantly, and the interest of Chinese companies in investing in the Russian economy is growing, not declining," Zhou said on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).
Chinese companies are more actively participating in exhibitions in Russia, which, Zhou said, shows "the readiness of Chinese entrepreneurs to invest in Russia and develop trade and economic cooperation."