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.
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