Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived in Moscow, Russia, on Oct. 12 to close a roster of agreements that will strengthen China's ties with Russia.
Greeting Li at the airport was a Russian senior official who arranged a warm welcome. Li expressed that the comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and China has "entered a new stage of development."
"With my visit, I am looking forward to further deepening the traditional friendship between China and Russia, and expanding our pragmatic cooperation," said Li.
Li will meet with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev at the 19th China-Russia Prime Ministers' Regular Meeting. A visit to an international forum on innovations is also scheduled.
Li will also visit Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as Valentina Matviyenko and Sergei Naryshkin, chairwoman of the upper house of parliament and speaker of the lower house of parliament, respectively.
Both primes are to sign nearly 50 mutually beneficial agreements, some regarding the subject of energy, finance, human resource exchanges and high-speed rail technology.
According to analysts, the Chinese Premier's visit will continue to enhance China-Russia relationship, which has been forged 65 years ago. It is Li's first visit to Russia since taking office in March 2013.
China and Russia's trade hit over $89 billion in 2013, and both are planning to increase the returns to $100 billion by 2015, and then doubling it to $200 billion by 2020.