The holding of the 19th China-Russia Prime Minister Meeting is a clear sign that the mechanism is in its maturity. Apart from the regular bilateral meetings between top government leaders, mechanisms at lower levels, such as talks on energy and investment cooperation, are also being held.

These meeting mechanisms are different from those between state leaders in that inter-governmental cooperation is fundamentally aimed at boosting economic and humanitarian ties. It means that while travelling between the European Union and Russia, one has to uphold a neutral stance on sensitive issues, or completely avoid touching upon them. The Li's visit has been hailed as "fruitful," and Moscow was not forced to take sides.

Of all the 38 deals signed, building the Beijing-Moscow Eurasian High-speed Transport Corridor, and in particular the Moscow-Kazan High-speed Railway project, carries the most significant strategic implications.

Last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed building the new Silk Road Economic Belt, a strategic concept that many interpreted as "overlapping" with Putin's "Eurasian alliance." The Western media have kept a close eye on such "overlaps" because both strategies are seeking greater influence in the heartland of Eurasia, where collisions may occur. But in the latest meeting between Putin and Xi held earlier this year, the two leaders removed lingering doubts and obstacles regarding such overlaps, marking what is known as the "strategic docking" in Sino-Russian ties.

The Beijing-Moscow High-Speed Transport Corridor will be instrumental in building trade and infrastructure across both continents. Although one may question the economic necessity of building such a high-speed railway, Moscow's plan to develop the Siberia in the far east of the country and Beijing's ambition to revitalize its western and northeastern provinces will highly likely make the project a true requirement.

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