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Russia payment difficulties with China partners heightened in August, sources say

Some Russian business are dealing with growing delays and increasing expenses on payments with trading partners in China, leaving transactions worth 10s of billions of yuan in limbo, Russian sources with direct knowledge of the problem told Reuters.

Russian companies and officials for a couple of months have pointed to hold-ups in deals after Chinese banks tightened compliance following Western dangers of secondary sanctions for dealing with Russia. The sources stated the issue has magnified this month.

Chinese state banks are closing down transactions with Russia en masse and billions of yuan worth of payments are held up, a source near the federal government, who spoke on condition of anonymity, informed Reuters.

China is Russia's largest trading partner, accounting for a. third of Russia's foreign trade last year and supplying items. such as important commercial devices and durable goods that help. Russia weather condition Western sanctions. It also supplies a rewarding. market for numerous Russian exports that China counts on, from oil. and gas to farming items.

After the U.S. Treasury in June threatened secondary. sanctions on banks in China and other countries for handling. Russia, Chinese banks started to take a very rigorous stance on. deals, said a source at one of Russia's leading. e-commerce platforms. It sells a wide range of durable goods. imported from China.

At that moment, all cross-border payments to China stopped. We discovered solutions, however it took about 3 weeks, which is a. very long time, trade volumes fell dramatically throughout that. time, said the source.

One working service was to buy gold, move it to Hong. Kong and offer it there, depositing cash in a regional bank account,. the individual said.

Sources told Reuters that some Russian companies have been. using chains of intermediaries in 3rd nations to deal with. their deals and get around compliance checks run by. Chinese banks. As a result, costs to process deals have. increased to as much as 6% of transaction payments, from close to. no before, they said.

The sources spoke on condition of anonymity due to the fact that of the. level of sensitivity of the matter.

For lots of small companies, this suggests a complete shutdown,. another source near the government stated.

The Kremlin acknowledged the problem but said that economic. cooperation is important for both countries and that solutions. will be found.

With such volumes and in such an unfriendly environment,. it is difficult to avoid some troublesome circumstances, Kremlin. representative Dmitry Peskov said in a declaration to Reuters.

Nevertheless, the really collaboration spirit of our relations. allows us to talk about and fix current problems constructively,. he stated.

Deals with China are not of serious concern to top. Russian management, nevertheless, because payments in concern locations. are still proceeding smoothly, and there is political will from. both sides, a banking source told Reuters.

Bilateral plans for large business, such as. Russia's product exporters and China's exporters of vital. technologies, still work well, whereas smaller sized companies trading. in durable goods experience issues, sources stated.

Russian exporters haven't skilled problems in. getting payments for products that China imports, such as. oil or grain, another source close to the Russian federal government. informed Reuters.

Bilateral trade between Russia and China grew by 1.6% to. $ 137 billion in the very first half of 2024, according to China's. main customizeds data, after hitting a record high $240 billion. in 2023.

Normal trade in between China and Russia is consistent with. WTO rules and market concepts, is not directed against third. parties and is not subject to disturbance or coercion by 3rd. celebrations, a Chinese foreign ministry representative told Reuters.

We securely oppose any prohibited unilateral sanctions and. long-arm jurisdiction and will take all essential measures to. safeguard our legitimate rights and interests, the representative. included.

Russia's imports from China fell by more than 1% to $62. billion in January-July 2024 due to payment issues, according. to China's main stats.

Russia's central bank anticipates the country's overall. imports from around the world will fall by as much as 3% this. year.

Imports will reduce in 2024 due to the fortifying of. sanctions barriers related to payments and logistics, the. central bank stated, although it anticipated that the situation. would enhance in the medium term, according to draft monetary. policy standards released on Aug. 29.

After Russian President Vladimir Putin's check out to China in. May, some regional Chinese banks without a worldwide company stepped. in to deal with bilateral payments. They would run out the reach. of Western sanctions enforcers.

However, sources explained that these banks often had. outdated IT systems and lacked staff with the needed skills.

The banking source stated that cross-border couriers were. shuttling transfer papers throughout the Russia-China border to get. them physically stamped and signed by Chinese lenders.

Till issues with payments are resolved at the state level,. we can not expect a vibrant inflow of financial investments from China,. said Kirill Babaev, head of the China Institute at the Russian. Academy of Sciences.

Research co-authored by Babaev and released this month. highlights the dangers positioned to Russia's industrial sector where. China has actually become a leading provider.

In today's circumstance, payment issues with Chinese banks. particularly intensify this challenge, as there are no other. significant suppliers of numerous types of commercial devices besides. China at present, the term paper said.

Large business in China in addition to India are heavily. based on American and European markets, Dmitry Birichevski,. head of the financial department at Russia's foreign ministry,. said at a conference in Moscow on Aug. 16.

And they are being informed, 'Guys, if you continue to work. with Russia, we will cut off your access to our market and choke. off your oxygen supply', he said.

(source: Reuters)