On June 5, Russia’s biggest industrial lender, Sberbank, announced a union with Export Import Bank of China declaring it would credit Russian pharmaceutical Pharmasyntez a yuan-based loan.

The loan comes as Moscow-Beijing bilateral relations increase, and is a reminder of rapidly increasing relations between eastern kings.

After the Ukraine crisis resulted in sanctions on Russia last spring, the alliance strengthened economic ties by signing two landmark gas deals in 2014. This May, China and Russia further bolstered ties when they combined the development of the Eurasian Economic Union with the Silk Road economic project.

China also plans to invest almost $6 billion in the Moscow-Kazan High-Speed Railway. Russia’s main gas producer, Gazprom, and China’s National Petroleum Corporation (cnpc) also signed a deal agreeing to conditions of supplies from Russia to China via its Western route. China also agreed to finance a $256.4 million industrial project for Sberbank. The recent Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (aiib) creation is the cherry on top. Russia will be one of the top three shareholders.

Chinese and Russian central banks look to increase trade in the ruble and yuan by creating a currency swap arrangement. Moscow’s stock exchange also looks to set up a trading platform with Shanghai to encourage trading between the two giants.

Growing economic ties will continue. On June 3, Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Storchak, stated, “In general, study of the Chinese market’s opportunities is currently underway.” Signs indicate full speed ahead for the congealing of Russia and China.

The first-time yuan-loan in Russia is another thread in the Moscow-Shanghai Silk Road.

Historically, Russia and China both vied for influence in the east. Now the two seem to be looking for every possible excuse to draw closer together.

To learn more about this trend the Trumpet has long forecast, read “The Emerging Asian Superpower.”