Russia n Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov met with visiting Chinese State Counselor Chen Zhili in Moscow on Tuesday with both sides vowing to enhance their humanitarian cooperation.

After passing along a "cordial greeting" from the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to Fradkov, Chen said that the Sino-Russia n relations are developing at a high level at a fast pace now. Humanitarian cooperation lays great importance on promoting the Sino-Russian "friendship which will last for generations" and pushing the Sino-Russia n strategic partnership of cooperation to a higher level," she said.

Chen took part in the eighth meeting of the Sino-Russian humanitarian cooperation commission in St. Petersburg a day earlier. She told Fradkov that the meeting enriched the connotation of the Sino-Russia n strategic partnership of cooperation, consolidated the social base of the relations between the two countries, and made a new step towards the aim of "friendly humanitarian cooperation partners in harmony" which was set up by the heads of the two countries in March.

Chen proposed three suggestions on deepening the Sino-Russia n humanitarian cooperation: first, mechanizing the most important projects within the framework of the theme years; second, taking actual measures to promote cooperation in the areas of education, culture, sanitation, sports, tourism, media, movie and documents; third, enhancing cooperation in the humanitarian cooperation area of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

The Russian-Chinese relations have entered a new stage, Fradkov said.

The activities of the Year of China in Russia have a good effect on promoting understanding and traditional friendship between the two countries, he said.

The Russian-Chinese humanitarian cooperation is an important foundation of the strategic partnership of cooperation. The heads of the two states reached common understanding on further deepening the Russian-Chinese relationship and cooperation at the SCO summit in Bishkek not long ago. The success of the eighth meeting of the Russian-Chinese humanitarian cooperation commission with bountiful results was an important step to implement the consensus of the heads of states, Fradkov said.

The prime minister hoped that both sides discuss mechanizing the projects in the humanitarian cooperation area of the theme years as soon as possible, take actual measures to promote the Russian-Chinese cooperation in such areas as culture, education, sanitation, sports and tourism, and improve the cooperative levels in the humanitarian cooperation area.

Fradkov said he is expecting a meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in November in the 12th regular meeting of prime ministers of the two countries.

Chen started her nine-day visit from St. Petersburg in Sept. 1.

(Xinhua News Agency September 5, 2007)