Russia PM, China VP to discuss economic relations Tue.

MOSCOW, March 23 (Itar-Tass) - Prime Minister Vladimir Putin of the
Russian Federation (RF) meets with Xi Jinping, Vice-President of the
People's Republic of China (PRC) on Tuesday to discuss matters concerning
the development of trade-and-economic relations between the two countries.
They will also attend a ceremony marking the start of a Year of the
Chinese Language in Russia (YCLR), the RF government press service
announced.
The YCLR is regarded as one of the main events in Russo-Chinese
relations in 2010. A press service official pointed out, "This event is of
great importance from the viewpoint of strengthening friendship and mutual
understanding between the peoples of the two countries, especially the
youth. It is planned to carry out more than 80 activities within the
framework of the YCLR: scientific conference workshops, exhibitions,
festivals, contests and academic competitions on the knowledge of the
Chinese language and literature, and guest tours by Chinese theatrical and
music collectives. It is also planned to open new centers for the study of
the Chinese language, to practise exchanges of faculty members and
students, arrangements for summer holiday camps for Russian schoolchildren
in China".
The Year of the Russian Language was observed in China in 2009, with
over 200 activities being carried out in 14 provinces, four autonomous
districts, four cities of central jurisdiction and in 26 other cities of
the PRC.
"The Year of the Russian Language promoted expansion of the positions
of the Russian language and culture in China and, from a broader point of
view, contributed to the development of the entire spectrum of bilateral
relations with the PRC, the strengthening of the social and spiritual
basis of strategic partnership and interaction," the government press
service official emphasized.
Putin paid an official visit to the PRC in the autumn of 2009. During
the visit he attended the closing ceremony of the Year of the Russian
Language in China.
On Tuesday Premier Putin and Vice-President Xi will also hold talks on
the entire spectrum of Russo-Chinese trade-and-economic cooperation.
Russian government analysts believe, "The world financial downturn
resulted in serious changes in the world economy and international trade,
also affecting Russo-Chinese economic contacts. At the same time, the two
countries managed not only to keep the earlier achieved qualitative level
of interaction but also to make substantial headway on a number of
important areas of cooperation".
Joint investment projects are being successfully implemented in the
territories of the two countries. In downturn conditions, direct Chinese
investments in the economy of Russia did not decrease and even grew
markedly: Chinese direct investments in Russia ran at $410 million in
2009, as against $240 million in 2008.
The overall amount of cumulative Chinese investments grew by 25.4
percent to run at $2,024 million. Priority areas are timber working, the
production of consumer goods, high-tech sectors, and the processing of raw
materials.
Interaction in the fuel and energy sphere is one of priority and
dynamically developing areas of practical cooperation between Russia and
China. Cooperation in the field of petroleum develops successfully in
accordance with the reached package accords. A big achievement in this
respect is the Agreement on cooperation in the petroleum sphere, signed in
April 2009: the supply of oil via a pipeline transportation system from
Russia to China will begin in 2011. Such forms of cooperation as
joint-venture enterprises are used in the petroleum sphere. This is
indicative of a high level of mutual trust between companies.
Cooperation in nuclear power engineering develops actively: the
construction of the second phase of the Tianwan nuclear power station is
in full progress; a uranium enrichment plant is under construction; and an
experimental fast-neutron reactor is being developed.
The government press service official said it is also planned that
Vladimir Putin as Chairman of the United Russia party (URP) and Xi
Jinping, who is a Member of the Permanent Committee of the Political
Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC), will discuss matters
concerning interaction between the two parties. The URP and the CPC act
under a framework Agreement and a Protocol on inter-party cooperation.

.One-track railway line underflooded in Volgograd region.

ROSTOV-ON-DON, March 23 (Itar-Tass) - A 15-km leg of a one-track
railway line has been underflooded in Pallasovka District, Volgograd
Region.
This happened on the night from Monday to Tuesday owing to a dike
breach, an official at the Southern regional center of the Russian
Ministry for Emergencies has told Itar-Tass.
As a result of that, Train 110 travelling along the Astrakhan-St
Petersburg route had to come to a standstill. According to some data, the
train can be allowed to proceed in a roundabout way, via the city of
Volzhsky.