Russia strengthened its ties with China yesterday when Vladimir Putin, the prime minister, signed off on $3.5bn of deals during talks with Wen Jiabao, the Chinese premier, in Beijing.
However, the two countries failed to make substantial progress on a key deal for Russian gas supplies to China, signing only a preliminary agreement that left unanswered questions on price and the source of supplies.
The gas supply agreement had been the centrepiece of the talks which Mr Putin hailed as part of a blossoming “strategic partnership” that had withstood the financial crisis that has left Russia's economy floundering compared to that of its eastern neighbour.
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