Maritime cooperation between China and Russia is expected to receive a boost this week, following a two-day meeting in Beijing.

The first working group began discussions yesterday as China reaffirmed its commitment to promote cooperation at sea with Russia

Sun Zhihui, deputy director of the State Oceanic Administration (SOA), said they hoped for concrete measures to implement a previous agreement signed on May 27 last year covering a wide range of fields.

Liang Jinzhe, from the SOA's international cooperation department, said that there are about 40 areas for potential cooperation on the agenda and that around half are expected to be put into practice after the meeting.

Discussions include possible co-work on marine ecological protection, legislation on the use and protection of the ocean, marine information and data exchange and polar research.

Liang said the administration is working hard to formulate plans to further marine development with other countries. Agreements have been signed with over 20 nations but, according to Liang, the agreement with Russia is at the highest level and the most comprehensive.

Headed by Shiryaev Boris Konstantinovich, from the Russian Federation's Ministry of Natural Resources, a group of 11 marine experts are attending the meeting.

(China Daily November 10, 2004)