Russia, China roundtable participants discuss cooperation projects

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7/2 Tass 50

BEIJING, February 7 (Itar-Tass) - Participants in a roundtable on
regional cooperation, held in the Beijing state residence, discussed
specific aspects on implementing the Cooperation Programme between regions
of the Russian Far East as well as Eastern Siberia and Northeastern China
for 2009-2018.
It was attended by ranging officials of executive power bodies from
the Amur Region, the Primorye and Khabarovsk territories as well as
representatives from major Russian companies, operating in the Russian Far
East. From the Chinese side, the roundtable was attended by executives of
Chinese ministries and departments as well as various economic structures.
"Political relations between Russia and China have reached a high
level and enjoy the nature of strategic partnership," said the Russian
president's deputy representative in the Far Eastern Federal District
Alexander Levintal. Speaking of regional cooperation, he emphasised that
despite the financial crisis, trade between the Russian Far East and China
slipped down only by ten percent in 2009 to 4.5 billion US dollars.
He also pointed to rising Chinese investments in the economy of the
Russian Far East over the past few years. "We hope that the present forum
will help us to make headway, to compare our stands and to single out
mechanisms for implementing joint projects," he stated. Levintal
underlined that the development of cooperation with China is a priority
area in foreign economic activities of the Russian Far East, but far from
all possibilities have been tapped in this sphere.
Co-chairman of the forum from the Chinese side and deputy chairman of
the National Development and Reform Commission Zhang Guobao stressed that
the Russian and Chinese leaders give increased attention over the past
years to pushing to a new level of relations of strategic partnership and
cooperation.
"The level of political mutual trust has risen to an unprecedented
level; factors, rendering negative influence have been removed through
consultations," Zhang added. According to him, the approved programme
"will offer new possibilities for regional cooperation between the nations
and will be a powerful driving force for social and economic development
in border regions".
The Cooperation Programme between regions of the Russian Far East as
well as Eastern Siberia and Northeastern China for 2009-2018 had been
approved by the two heads of state on September 23, 2009. It includes
around 300 projects on cooperation in transport, construction and
reconstruction of border infrastructure, employment of population, the
humanitarian sphere, environmental control, tourism and other spheres.
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