© ReutersBeijing banks' financial support for Moscow could be influential in shaping direction of conflict
Speaking at a videoconference with his Chinese counterpart, Li Keqiang, Mishustin called for Moscow and Beijing to "join forces" on the principles of "equality, mutual trust and respect."
"Russian-Chinese cooperation is developing in a difficult external environment," Mishustin said. "Unfortunately, some foreign partners continue to take unfriendly actions against us and use techniques of unfair competition, often violating the basic norms of the multilateral trading system."
"Illegal unilateral sanctions, political and economic pressure - both Russia and China face these challenges," he continued.
In particular, Mishustin noted plans to pair the Eurasian Economic Union, a group of five former Soviet Union member states, and the Belt and Road Initiative, a Chinese global infrastructure development strategy.
"This is important for strengthening interconnectivity in the Eurasian space, will help ensure the economic progress of Russia and China," Mishustin said.
In recent years, Moscow and Beijing have worked together extensively in different fields, including economically and militarily. On Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping told the 3rd Russian-Chinese Energy Business Forum that his country is "ready to pool efforts with Russia to achieve closer energy cooperation, to defend energy security, and to counter the challenges of global climate change."
Comment: With so many countries suffering under US sanctions, it was only a matter of time before they decided to simply bypass the US altogether, with the ultimate result being that the US loses out directly, by blocking potentially profitable deals for itself, as well as indirectly by crippling the economies of its supposed partners who are also locked out of mutually beneficial deals: