There is great potential for deeper Sino-Russian cooperation in
the energy and natural resources fields, Chinese President Hu Jintao
said on Wednesday.
Hu was addressing the high-level Sino-Russian economic forum
held in Beijing.
Hu urged the two sides to proceed with long-term perspectives in
view, and to be mindful of the other's interests.
Such mutually beneficial cooperation should boost the economic
development of the two countries while maintaining stability on the
international market, he said.
He urged the two sides to shift the cooperation pattern from the
current trade-centered mode to one that focuses on production and
processing.
Russia has become one of China's major energy suppliers.
Visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the relevant
enterprises of the two countries have agreed to study the
possibility of building a branch pipeline from Russia's oil-rich
Siberia to China.
With the implementation of the project, "the crude oil supply to
China will definitely see an increase," he said.
China and Russia on Tuesday inked three deals on oil and natural
gas cooperation following talks between Hu and Putin.
The three documents include a principled agreement between the
China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and the Russian
oil company Rosneft to establish joint ventures for further oil
cooperation.
A memorandum of understanding between CNPC and Russia's natural
gas company Gazprom for natural gas supply to China, and a summary
of negotiations between CNPC and Transneft, a pipeline transport
company of Russia were also signed.
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Putin left Beijing on Wednesday at noon for
Henan Province in central China.
Putin will visit the Shaolin Temple, which is famous for Chinese
martial arts, or Kungfu, and is listed as a world heritage site by
the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO).
Putin is on a two-day state visit during which he officiated at
the opening of the Year of
Russia in China at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on
Tuesday.
(Xinhua News Agency March 22, 2006)