This file photo taken on Dec 2, 2019 from the Chinese side shows the first highway bridge connecting China and Russia across the Heilongjiang River. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

ST. PETERSBURG/MOSCOW - Major infrastructure projects implemented by Russia and China in the past few years stimulated the growth of Russia-China trade, Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic Alexey Chekunkov said on Thursday.

During the Russia-China business dialogue at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Chekunkov noted that infrastructure projects like the Heihe-Blagoveshchensk cross-border highway bridge and the Tongjiang-Nizhneleninskoye cross-border railway bridge played an important role in trade turnover increase and opened a new page in the development of bilateral relations.

In 2022, trade turnover between China and Russia exceeded $190 billion

He also noted that agriculture and clean food, as well as tourism, cultural, humanitarian, scientific ties are promising areas of cooperation between Russia and China.

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Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui also spoke about a significant increase in China-Russia trade. In 2022, trade turnover between the two countries exceeded $190 billion. In the first five months of 2023, there was a steady positive trend - an increase of more than 40 percent in comparison with the same period of 2022.

This aerial photo taken on Feb 21, 2021 shows the first China-Europe freight train linking St. Petersburg of Russia with Chengdu departing the Chengdu International Railway Port in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan province. (PHOTO / CHENGDU INTERNATIONAL RAILWAY PORT ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE VIA XINHUA)

Promote global economic stability

Large-scale and mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and China has an important stabilizing influence on the global economy, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

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"In the current conditions, when some countries are engaging in protectionist practices, using illegitimate sanctions ... and simply unleashing an economic war, Moscow and Beijing stand in favor of honest, fair and equal conditions for economic activity," Zakharova said on the same day during her weekly briefing, which was held on the sidelines of the 26th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

"We will continue to jointly uphold these principles by strengthening bilateral trade and ... practical ties, further contributing to the sustainable development of the global economy," she said.

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Zakharova pointed out that one of the reasons why Russia and China have managed to advance trade and economic cooperation is that both countries uphold common principles such as respect for international law and non-interference in domestic affairs.