Visiting Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji arrived in Moscow, the Russian capital, late yesterday. He is expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin tomorrow.

While in St. Petersburg, Zhu held a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail M. Kasyanov on Saturday.

At a press conference afterwards, Zhu compared the economic and trade co-operation between China and Russia to a new car - it has passed its running-in stage and has entered the fast track.

His speech followed the signing of six agreements and a joint declaration between the two countries.

The agreements and declaration were the result of the sixth regular meeting between Sino-Russian prime ministers.

The two sides exchanged views on such issues as economy and trade, science and technology, and culture, reaching a consensus, according to a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Kasyanov said St. Petersburg has a friendly relationship with Shanghai, and, therefore, it was of special significance for the two prime ministers to hold such a fruitful meeting in the historic city.

Premier Zhu said effective measures should be adopted to promote a balanced development of mutual trade.

Both sides deepened their understanding of mutual trade co-operation after years of practice, Zhu said. The economies of the two were complementary in many fields, the premier added, and, therefore, a co-operative relationship on the basis of mutual trust, benefit and compliments is a necessity to both parties.

Kasyanov said economic and trade co-operation was of vital importance to the strategic and co-operative partnership, and governments and enterprises on both sides have made efforts in this respect.

The prime minister promised that Russia would make efforts to buy more Chinese products to promote the trade balance, adding that the Russian Government will support China in setting up various commodities' centres.

To maintain the growth of mutual trade, both sides agreed to adopt updated trade forms and methods to keep a healthy trade balance and to optimize the trade structure through increasing the trading of machinery and high-tech products, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

In the meeting, both sides discussed the construction of a joint gas pipeline, co-operation in the power industry, machine building and the construction of energy facilities.

Discussions also involved co-operative projects in the space industry, civil aviation, peaceful utilization of nuclear energy, exploration of high-tech products, expansion of regional and border trade, tapping of forest resources, construction of transportation infrastructure, banking, immigration and environmental protection, according to the spokesman.

(China Daily 09/10/2001)