Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Grigorenko told the Global Times at a Thursday press conference that he attended the Global Digital Trade Expo in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, to see the world's top innovations, learn from leading technologies, and draw on best practices, noting that China is one of the global leaders in AI and discussions with Chinese companies on potential cooperation have taken place.

Dmitry Grigorenko, also the Chief of the Government Executive Office of Russia, said that the achievements of China's AI development not only lies in language model development, but also in applying AI to mature products, services, and applications.

"We are interested in cooperating with Chinese companies, and we have indeed discussed these topics," he told the Global Times.

According to the Russian Government, during this visit, Dmitry Grigorenko stressed that Russia attached special significance to its relationship with China. At present, bilateral cooperation is centred on building an independent financial infrastructure and enhancing industrial and technological sovereignty. The discussions placed particular emphasis on artificial intelligence, identified it as one of the most promising areas for joint collaboration, said in a statement released by Russian Government.

Regarding the focus of his visit to the expo, he said the main topic discussed was the application of AI in digital trade. "We are also developing AI in the Russia and have established an AI Development Center. We are actively applying AI in state governance and in providing government services in digital form," he said.

He noted that a key priority for Russia is also AI development. While countries progress at different speeds, AI is recognized as a transformative technology that boosts efficiency, productivity, and can reshape many sectors, playing a crucial role in both digitalization and trade.

The 4th Global Digital Trade Expo, an event that promotes digital trade and industrial cooperation among partners, is underway in Hangzhou. At this year's expo, artificial intelligence takes center stage, showcasing how innovation is being transformed into real-world applications right in their home city, the Xinhua News Agency reported.