Foreign and Military Affairs

Russia-based economic forum 'more practical'

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-09-10 17:14

IRKUTSK, Russia - The 6th International Baikal Economic Forum that concluded Thursday had become more practical with many proposals for specific economic cooperation projects, a top Chinese energy official said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

"Participants have obviously become more interested and practical in strengthening mutual economic cooperation and proposing joint projects," head of China's National Administration of Energy (NEA) Zhang Guobao said.

More than 1,600 representatives from 17 countries and regions took part in the forum and signed six agreements and two memoranda of understanding, according to Russia's Federation Council.

Sino-Russia trade and economic cooperation had been scheduled to be a key topic at the forum, during which a series of conferences and dialogues themed on Sino-Russia cooperation and non-governmental exchanges were held.

Jiang Shusheng, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, also addressed the opening of the forum.

Zhang said China had also showed a positive attitude towards cross-border transportation and put forward some proposals for regional cooperation.

As for Sino-Russia energy cooperation, Zhang said the two countries had witnessed rapid development in the past few years and established a coordination mechanism for energy cooperation at the level of deputy prime minister.

The two countries had also reached a series of agreements after holding three-day talks one week ago in Blagoveshchensk city between Chinese delegation led by Zhang and a Russian delegation headed by its energy minister Sergei Shmatko, Zhang said.

"Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin will meet with Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan on September 21 in Beijing to pave the way for Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's scheduled visit to China," he added.