Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), met a high-ranking women's delegation from Russia yesterday.

The delegation, headed by Svetlana Orlova, vice-chair of the Federation Council of Russia, is in Beijing for the Third China-Russia Women's Culture Week, one of the key activities that are a part of Year of Russia in China events.

Wu said he believed the culture week would add further vitality to the content of this exchange program.

Wu, the Chinese top legislator, spoke positively of the work done by the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) and the Women of Russia Bloc, saying they have contributed to the friendship between the women of both countries.

Orlova said she would continue to promote extensive communication and friendly exchanges between the women's and non-government organizations of the two countries.

The non-governmental exchanges play a very important role in developing Russia-China relations, she noted.

Gu Xiulian, chair of the ACWF, also attended the meeting.

The Third China-Russia Women's Culture Week is being held in Beijing, Shanghai and Suzhou from October 19 to 25. The first culture week was held in Beijing and Shanghai in 2002, the second in Moscow and St. Petersburg in 2004.

(Xinhua News Agency October 20, 2006)