Putin confirms plans to broaden China ties
(Agencies)
Updated: 2006-01-31 19:47

Moscow plans to broaden its strategic partnership with China and hopes to increase trade turnover between the two countries to $60 billion by 2010, President Vladimir Putin said.

"Russia intends to further develop strategic partnership with China based on previous documents, primarily the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Strategic Partnership," Putin said at a news conference in the Kremlin on Tuesday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin answers journalists' questions during his annual news conference in Moscow, January 31, 2006. [Reuters]

The two countries set themselves the task of bringing bilateral trade to $20 billion three years ago, Putin said. "I would like to inform you that a level of $29 billion was attained last year. Our initial target was to reach this figure in five years and we are now planning to bring trade to $60 billion by 2010," Putin said. "This is quite feasible," he said.

Bilateral agreements have allowed Russia and China to settle a dispute over their common border - an issue that had divided the two countries for 40 years, he said.