The vice premiers of China and Russia on Tuesday exchanged views on bilateral relations and agreed to increase Sino-Russian cooperation in various fields.

 

Vice Premier Wu Yi and the Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov had an in-depth exchange of views on issues of common concern at the 10th meeting of the committee for regular meeting of prime minister of the two countries held in Shanghai.

 

In the first nine months of this year, China and Russia witnessed a bilateral trade volume of US$24.6 billion, up 19 percent. The Sino-Russian trade volume for the whole year is expected to set a new record, Wu said.

 

China and Russia also witnessed great progress in cooperation in energy, investment, the high-tech sector, transport and environmental protection. Cooperation in these fields has helped push for friendship between the two peoples and brought concrete profits, said Wu.

 

During their meeting, the vice premiers agreed that next year the two nations would further expand cooperation in trade, investment, energy, aerospace and biological technology, in an effort to promote bilateral relations and to safeguard the peace and stability of the region and the world.

 

Agreeing with Wu's views on bilateral relations, Zhukov said bilateral trade between Russia and China had doubled since the two countries signed the Good-Neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation five years ago.

 

The two nations had increased their cooperation in the past year, and witnessed more than 200 activities of the Year of Russia, Zhukov said.

 

Zhukov expressed his appreciation for China's active support for Russia's bid to join the World Trade Organization (WTO).

 

The two countries should make more efforts to enhance cooperation in trade, investment, energy, science, technology, communication, banks, transport, aerospace, environmental protection in order to push for the development of relations, Zhukov said.

 

(Xinhua News Agency November 8, 2006)