China: Major energy and trade deals signed with Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed around 30 bilateral agreements with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, Thursday, following talks between both leaders. Among the 30 agreements reached between both nations, was a memorandum agreeing to deliver Russian gas from Siberia to China through a third pipeline, supporting an earlier deal made in 2014. A two billion dollar trade finance deal between Russia's VTB Bank and the Chinese Development Bank (CDB) was also agreed, aimed at funding clients of both banks engaged foreign trade operations between Russia and China. The Russian delegation included some of the country's top positions in both business and politics, including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Energy Minister Alexander Novak, key Putin aide and head of the Presidential Administration Sergei Lvanov, Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu. Some of Russia's top business leaders were also present for both the Chinese parade marking the end of WWII in Asia and the subsequent bilateral talks including Executive Chairman of Rosneft Igor Sechin and CEO of Gazprom Alexei Miller.