Xi, Putin, Mongolian leader sign agreements in China

The leaders of Russia, China, and Mongolia met in Beijing on Tuesday. Russia and China signed more than 20 documents cementing cooperation in areas including energy, aerospace, artificial intelligence, agriculture, health, research, education, and the media, according to the Chinese government. One of the agreements allows Russians to visit China for up to 30 days without a visa, according to a Chinese state-owned media outlet, Xinhua News Agency. The agreements came the day after China hosted a summit attended by numerous other global leaders, including those from Iran, India, and Belarus.

The three leaders also signed a legally binding memorandum on a new natural gas project. Russia will build a new pipeline to China through Mongolia and increase gas supply through an existing pipeline for the next 30 years, according to Interfax, a private news agency in Russia.

What other projects is Russia considering? The Chief Executive of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, Kirill Dmitriev, said in a television interview that the country is interested in the Arctic, according to state-run news outlet Tass. Joint projects there with China and the United States could include hydrocarbon energy projects, he said. Hydrocarbons include crude oil, natural gas, and coal. 

Dig deeper: Read Travis K. Kircher’s story on allegations that Russia jammed navigational systems on an EU official’s plane.