Chinese president meets Russian PM on bilateral ties
( 2003-05-29 10:20 ) (8)

Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao met with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov in Moscow Wednesday for talks on Sino-Russian relations, particularly economic ties.

Hu said that expanding economic cooperation between the two countries is an important element in deepening the Sino-Russian strategic partnership of cooperation.

To strengthen bilateral economic cooperation, the Chinese side proposes to elevate the level of cooperation on the basis of mutual benefit and trust, with large-scale economic and technological joint projects leading the efforts, Hu said.

Stepped-up efforts are needed to carry out major joint projects in hand and more projects should be launched in the high-tech sector and other areas, the Chinese president added.

Hu told Kasyanov that the two sides also need to further open markets to each other, standardize trade transactions and offer support for access of goods, services and capital to each other's market.

China and Russia should always resort to friendly consultations in resolving new problems that might arise from economic cooperation, Hu said.

Kasyanov said he is satisfied with the achievements and positive trend of Russian-Chinese economic and trade cooperation in recent years.

The bilateral economic and trade ties are of strategic importance, Kasyanov said, adding that Russia agrees with Hu's proposals in this regard.

Russia will work closely with China on the existing joint projects and hopes to diversify its exports to China, he said.

Hu said the regular meeting mechanism for the two countries' heads of government, which started in 1996, has been effective in deepening mutual understanding and trust, exploring new ways and areas of cooperation, and elevating the level of cooperation. Both sides need to give full play to the meeting mechanism to promote bilateral ties, he said.

President Hu arrived in Russia on Monday for a three-day state visit to Russia.