Zhu made the remarks yesterday when meeting Georgy Plotavchenko, the Russian President's representative to the Central Federal District (CFD).

Zhu also noted that the Sino-Russian strategic cooperative partnership is playing an increasingly important role in promoting bilateral ties.

Plotavchenko is the head of a large business delegation attending the 92nd China Export Commodity Fair that opened on Tuesday in Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong Province.

Also called the "Canton Fair," it is the oldest and largest of its kind in China, held every April and October since 1957. The volume of business contracted at the fair each year equals one-third of China's yearly exports.

Zhu highly praised the Sino-Russian good-neighborly treaty of friendship and cooperation signed by Chinese President Jiang Zemin and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin last year, noting that the treaty has injected vitality into the development of bilateral ties.

Over the past year, bilateral cooperation in various fields has progressed vigorously, Zhu added.

He also underlined the importance of the recent seventh Sino-Russian prime ministers' regular meeting during which a series of agreements were reached to accelerate the implementation of several large cooperative projects.

Voicing the Chinese Government's support for the enhancement of direct exchanges and cooperation between different regions of both countries, Zhu said that such regional exchanges are an important component of bilateral relations.

Zhu expressed his hope that Guangdong and the CFD will continue to expand their cooperation in various fields in the interest of mutual economic development.

Plotavchenko said the rapid development of mutually beneficial cooperation between the CFD and Guangdong reflects the spirit of the bilateral good-neighborly treaty of friendship and cooperation.

(China Daily October 19, 2002)