Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrives at Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg, Russia on Monday. Photo: Xinhua

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived in St. Petersburg for an official three-day visit to Russia, with observers saying on Tuesday that China and Russia are the two major powers capable of effectively balancing the uncertainties caused by US unilateralism in the international arena.

Li arrived in St. Petersburg Monday. During his visit, Li will co-chair the 24th regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of government with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Russia diplomatic ties, and bilateral relations have recently been upgraded to a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era, Li said on his arrival.

Amid complicated and profound changes in the international situation and an increasing downward pressure on the world economy, Li pledged China's willingness to step up coordination and cooperation with Russia on international affairs, jointly defend multilateralism and free trade, and work together to improve global governance, forge an open world economy, and safeguard regional and world peace, development and prosperity, Xinhua reported. 

China and Russia have to deal with global challenges together, since in the era of globalization, many challenges are cross-border, such as downward pressure on the world economy and terrorism and regional security issues, experts noted.

For instance, due to US unilateralism and protectionism, serious damage has been caused to the world economy, and aside from China and Russia, other major economies including the EU and Japan have been impacted by this threat, Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University's Institute of International Relations, told the Global Times.

"The US is not only launching trade wars or impose tariffs against China, but is also targeting other major trade partners, including Germany and Japan. That's why all major powers except the US share a common goal at this moment, which is to safeguard multilateralism and free trade," Li Haidong noted.

While answering questions from Russia's TASS news agency, the Chinese premier recalled China's journey of development, noting that "China has been both a beneficiary of and a contributor to economic globalization."

"The world is seeing increasing uncertainties and destabilizing factors," Li Keqiang said, adding that multilateralism and free trade face mounting new challenges.

Workers from China and Russia shake hands after the two ends of the Blagoveshchensk-Heihe highway bridge were joined together on May 31, 2019. Photo: Xinhua

Comprehensive partners 

Yang Jin, an associate research fellow at the department of Russia-Eastern Europe-Central Asia studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing, told the Global Times that "aside from trade, US unilateralism is also threatening regional peace, such as in the Middle East. Its approaches toward Iran have brought more conflicts and tensions in that region."

"After the collapse of peace talks between the US and the Taliban, a Taliban delegation met with Russian officials in Moscow, and China is also maintaining communications with relevant forces in Afghanistan. This is proof that China and Russia are all contributing to regional peace, while the US is failing," Yang noted.

Al Jazeera news channel reported that Taliban's Qatar-based spokesman, Suhail Shaheen, confirmed the meeting in the Russian capital on Friday, saying the group's delegation held consultations with Zamir Kabulov, Russia's special envoy to Afghanistan.

China and Russia are two major powers capable and willing to balance the negative impact of US unilateralism, since they have enough influence in economy, military, diplomacy and technology, Yang said. 

"More importantly, they are permanent members of the UN Security Council and have high-level mutual trust. They have irreplaceable conditions and capabilities to cooperate and coordinate on balancing the negative impact from the US."

Li Keqiang and Medvedev will hold talks, sign a joint communiqué of the 24th regular meeting, witness the signing of cooperation documents, and jointly meet the press in St. Petersburg. The Chinese premier is also scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Xinhua reported.