What are Russia's "big projects" in the next decade, President Putin just revealed at a conference. However, within a few days, Russian Prime Minister Mishustin's special plane flew directly to Beijing, and the list of tasks for visiting China included these "big projects" that Putin himself said.
(Russian President Vladimir Putin)
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine in the past two years has not only allowed Russia to see the true face of the United States and Western countries, but also Russia's own shortcomings. So at a recent meeting, Putin personally said that Russia's goal in the next ten years is to vigorously build large-scale projects, implement large-scale projects, and develop Russia into a globally competitive transportation service market.
In addition, Putin added that these "big projects" will not only provide a long-term development space for Russia's industrial sector, but also increase employment opportunities in Russia and effectively benefit the interests of the country and the people, so in order to achieve these goals, Russia will cooperate with foreign partners.
Interestingly, not long after President Putin's disclosure, Russian Prime Minister Mishustin arrived in Beijing by special plane.
According to Russian sources, the main purpose of Mishustin's visit to China is to participate in the annual intergovernmental consultations with the Chinese side. Regarding the consultations, the Russian side said that it would focus on developing Sino-Russian bilateral relations, expanding economic and trade cooperation, and promoting large-scale cooperation projects in various fields. After the consultations, the Russian side plans to adopt a joint communiqué with China and sign a series of cooperation documents.
Finally, the Russian side also said that since China has a strong industrial base for machine building, the Russian side also plans to discuss with the Chinese side the possibility of jointly building large-scale industrial projects. It can be seen that Mishustin is preparing to negotiate with the Chinese side in many contents and areas, and the workload is very large.
(Russian Prime Minister Mishustin visits China)
However, it is worth noting that the "large-scale industrial project" mentioned by the Russian side is exactly the same as what President Putin said, so the foreign partner that Putin mentioned at that time is likely to be China.
According to President Putin, these large-scale projects are mainly in the field of infrastructure, the most typical of which is the transformation of the Trans-Siberian Railway.
For the current Russia, it is actually more difficult to accomplish this goal completely on its own.
Second, the harsh climate in Siberia is an extreme test for both people and machines, which requires the use of cold-resistant, durable and efficient technologies, but the West's technological blockade and export restrictions have brought great inconvenience to Russia.
Finally, the lack of professional and technical personnel and workers is another major bottleneck. The vast and sparsely populated nature of Siberia makes the allocation and management of human resources extremely complex. Cultivating and attracting a sufficient number of skilled workers to work in such a hostile environment requires not only financial incentives, but also a well-developed social security system and excellent living conditions, which is undoubtedly an uphill battle for the Russian government.
Therefore, on the whole, choosing to cooperate with other countries is the best solution for Russia.
(Trans-Siberian Railway)
As the Russian side said, China, as a country with a strong industrial base of machinery manufacturing, can help the Russian side a lot in this field.
At the technical level, China not only has rich experience in the construction of railway networks, can provide a full range of technical support and consulting services to the Russian side, including planning, engineering design and construction, but also has advanced high-speed and heavy-haul railway technology. These technologies contribute to the efficiency and speed of transportation on the Trans-Siberian Railway, which is particularly suitable for long-distance freight and passenger transport. In addition, China's railway signaling system incorporates cutting-edge technology to ensure the safe and efficient operation of trains. With the help of these systems, Russia can optimize the operational efficiency and safety standards of the Trans-Siberian Railway.
Second, in terms of funding, Chinese financial institutions and enterprises may be interested in such infrastructure investment and can provide the necessary financial support. Thanks to its rich experience in infrastructure construction, Chinese contractors not only have well-equipped machinery and equipment, but also have a mature supply chain management system, which can also ensure a stable supply of engineering materials and equipment required for the project, thereby helping to reduce the total cost of the project.
Finally, the Chinese side can also provide all-round support to the Russian side in after-sales service, including professional guidance on vehicle maintenance and operation management, and enhance the professional capabilities of Russian railway employees through technical training and management experience exchange.
It can be said that the Chinese side has made up for Russia's shortcomings at one time.
(Sino-Russian meeting site)
After upgrading, the Trans-Siberian Railway will not only carry more passenger and freight traffic, reduce costs and improve transportation efficiency, but also become an important economic corridor connecting Russia and the Far East, promoting the economic and social development of cities and regions along the route, increasing employment opportunities and improving the living standards of residents.
In addition, the line will become an important part of the Eurasian Land Bridge, strengthening Russia's trade links with other Asian countries, as well as Europe, and enhancing its status as an international transport corridor. Most importantly, as an important part of the country's infrastructure, the transformed Trans-Siberian Railway has greater strategic flexibility and rapid reaction capabilities, capable of supporting Russia's military movements and strategic layout if necessary.
In short, it can have a positive impact on Russia's economy, transportation, and military mobilization capabilities.
It is foreseeable that cooperation in the Trans-Siberian Railway is expected to be only one of the "big projects" that China and Russia will talk about this time, and it is still difficult to conclude in what areas China and Russia can reach cooperation through this meeting, but there is no doubt that Russia's visit will certainly play a role in promoting Sino-Russian relations, and the prospects for cooperation between China and Russia will be broader.