Chinese VP meets Russian regional governor on ties

• Source: Xinhua
• [11:17 March 21 2010]
• Comments

Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping met with Governor of Russia's Primorsky Territory Sergey Mikhaylovich Darkin Saturday in Vladivostok, exchanging views on bilateral ties and cooperation.

Xi told Darkin making the Primorsky Territory the first leg of his Russia tour was to boost the interregional cooperation between China and Russia to a wider and deeper level, as agreed by leaders of both sides.

Conditions were already mature for the development of interregional cooperation between the two countries, Xi said.

While the settlement of border issues and the approval of a cooperation plan outline had laid a political and legal basis for cooperation, the strong will of working hand in hand by the government and enterprises on both sides was also making it possible, the Chinese leader said.

Xi said, as both economies were developing quickly, he hoped China and Russia could seize the opportunity to obtain early achievements through interregional cooperation, and to realize the upgrading of the strategy for such cooperation to bring benefits to people living in the bordering areas.

Darkin said the Primorsky Territory, as China's closest neighbour, had achieved in recent years closer trade and economic ties with China's northeast border region.

The governor said Chinese companies were welcome to invest in the Primorsky Territory and to see it as a bridge for their products to reach Europe.

He also expected both sides to further cooperation in such areas as agriculture, energy, finance and the service industry.

Xi arrived in Vladivostok on Saturday for a five-day official visit to Russia.