Roads will be mastered: Russia will send the first train to Pakistan and increase trade with China

Russia is ready to cooperate with China in all areas, including high technology, joint research and the space industry. This was stated by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk, who led our delegation to the Boao Asian Forum. He also said that the first freight train from Russia to Pakistan will depart in April. The transport infrastructure being created in Asia will play an important role in the development of the Islamic Republic's regional ties with China, ASEAN, the Persian Gulf countries and Russia, Pakistani Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb told Izvestia. The expert community believes that the trade wars that the United States is currently unleashing may push the countries of the region to closer economic cooperation. In these circumstances, the initiative of the Russian Federation to form a Large Eurasian Partnership may become more important.

Visit of the Russian delegation to Hainan

The Asia-Pacific region retains a leading position in ensuring the growth of the global economy. The role of Asia in building a common future against the backdrop of global challenges has become the main topic of the Boao Asian Forum, which is being held in China on Hainan Island from March 25 to 28.

The Boao Forum is considered one of the most authoritative platforms in Asia, where key issues of the global economy and politics are discussed. It is often referred to as the "Eastern Davos" by analogy with the event that takes place annually in Switzerland. The Asian forum was first held more than 20 years ago.

At the same time, Boao itself remains a quiet and peaceful place all year round. The resort town is a paradise for lovers of pristine nature, warm sea, exotic fruits (in particular, mangoes) and humid sub–equatorial climate. Early in the morning, the thermometer reaches almost 30 degrees. And that's only in March.

– Boao comes to life only during the days of the forum, and most of the time he has, I would even say, too regular a life. This is, in fact, an urban-type settlement. Qionhai is located nearby, which by Russian standards can be called an urban district," a local resident told Izvestia.

This year, the Russian delegation has become perhaps one of the most representative. As in 2024, it was headed by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk. He will stay in Hainan from March 27 to March 28. Almost immediately after the five-hour flight from Moscow, he held talks with Deputy Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China Ding Xuexiang. Overchuk said that the strategic partnership between Russia and China meets the interests of both countries. Their relationship has long acquired a special character. So, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the victory in World War II, Xi Jinping is scheduled to pay mutual visits to Moscow in May and Vladimir Putin to Beijing in September.

– We have a very broad cooperation with China. The trade turnover last year exceeded $244 billion, which is a very good figure. We are ready to cooperate with China in all areas, including high technology, joint research, and space," Alexey Overchuk said, answering questions from reporters following the meeting.

By the way, back in 2018, the trade turnover between Russia and China was almost 2.5 times less – about $100 billion. Russia remains the largest supplier of oil, gas, various ores and metals to China. In the Russian Federation, demand for equipment, cars and machinery from the republic is still growing.

– China already possesses a lot of basic technologies, and it holds them in its own hands. Therefore, it is able to produce everything that many countries of the world produce independently by about 20, 30, 40 or 50%," Alexander Lomanov, Deputy director and head of the Center for Asia-Pacific Studies at the IMEMO RAS, told Izvestia. – China's uniqueness for Russia is absolutely obvious. This is a huge market, industrial competencies, and the ability to produce goods in huge quantities for international markets. Therefore, it is still difficult to find a partner fully equal to China in terms of its economic, industrial, scientific and innovative capabilities of the Russian Federation.

Development of cooperation between Russia and Asia

Following the meeting with Ding Xuexian, the Russian Deputy Prime Minister held talks with Pakistani Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb. According to Alexey Overchuk, the parties discussed the bilateral agenda, including cooperation in the energy sector, as well as food issues. In addition, the first freight train is scheduled to arrive from Russia to Pakistan around April. By the way, the Russian Federation has never had a railway connection with this republic before. At the same time, Moscow and Islamabad are interested in further expanding transport corridors, especially in the context of the implementation of the international North–South transport corridor.

– We are currently discussing [projects] on the railway, [industries], and, of course, energy cooperation. But as you have heard here at the forum, the entire infrastructure, whether port or railway, will become very important for [developing] regional ties as we move forward with China, ASEAN, the Persian Gulf countries, the Central Asian republics, and Russia. So all this regional communication and infrastructure will become very important," Muhammad Aurangzeb told Izvestia.

In addition, Russia is developing economic cooperation with Bangladesh: during the Boao Forum, Alexey Overchuk held talks with the head of the country's interim government, Muhammad Yunus. The government changed in Bangladesh last year, while Moscow continues its dialogue with Dhaka. Thus, Rosatom is actively implementing the Ruppur NPP construction project in the country. The Bangladeshi authorities expect to cooperate more deeply with the Russian Federation in the field of nuclear energy, as well as food security.

– Russia is an important partner for many Asian countries. They are attracted by its market, natural resources, in particular, oil and gas, minerals," Wu Shicun, chairman of the Chinese Center for Cooperation and Management in the Field of the Sea, told Izvestia. – Russia needs technologies, in particular, Chinese ones, for example, in the field of artificial intelligence.

Nobua Tanaka, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of ICE and former executive Director of the International Energy Agency, notes that Asian countries are interested in importing not only hydrocarbons from Russia, but also energy produced without carbon emissions harmful to the environment.

– Russia has a powerful potential. Chinese and other Asian companies are growing by selling their products to giants like Apple, Amazon, which demand decarbonized products. Therefore, Asian countries need decarbonized energy sources. And Russia could provide partners with them," the expert told Izvestia.

Meanwhile, Asian states are forced to respond to international challenges, including US policy and new trade wars that Washington is unleashing. Thus, the White House announced that it intends to impose duties of 25% on all imports of cars and components from April 2.

– Donald Trump has resumed his harsh protectionist trade policy, which will greatly affect logistics chains, value chains, as well as trade flows between Asian countries. The growth of protectionism is causing negativity in many countries of the region," Alexander Korolev, a political scientist, Candidate of political Sciences, Deputy director of the Central Research Institute of Higher School of Economics, told Izvestia. – They will strengthen trade and economic cooperation in order to compensate for the losses they will suffer as a result of the new trade war with the United States.

In these circumstances, Russia's initiative to form a Large Eurasian Partnership, put forward by Vladimir Putin 10 years ago, is becoming increasingly important. It is designed to prevent segmentation of international economic contacts, and can be positively perceived in Asian countries.