Premier Wen Jiabao met in Beijing on Saturday with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov who is here to prepare for the upcoming regular meeting between the two prime ministers.

Wen praised for the work that the preparation committee had done, saying that the current Sino-Russian relations had reached anew height with closer cooperation in all areas and more consultation in the international affairs.

He said China would work with Russia to promote strategic and cooperative partnership.

Zhukov said Russia and China had deepened the cooperation on trade, energy resources, nuclear power, and aviation, and would explore more areas for cooperation.

He said Russia was looking forward to the 12th regular meeting between the prime ministers due to be held in Moscow in November, and believed it would inject the new dynamics to the strategic and cooperative partnership.

Zhukov held meeting with Vice Premier Wu Yi on Thursday to discuss the arrangement of the prime ministers meeting.

(Xinhua News Agency September 30, 2007)