Chinese Vice-Premier Li Lanqing left Beijing Sunday morning on an official visit to Russia.

During the trip, Li will co-chair with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Valentina Matviyenko the first session of the China-Russia Cooperation Committee on Education, Culture, Health and Sports.

Li's entourage includes his wife Zhang Suzhen, Vice-Minister Liu Jiang of the State Development Planning Commission, Deputy Secretary-General Xu Rongkai of the State Council and other senior officials from relevant departments.

Chinese State Councilor Luo Gan and Russian ambassador to China Igor Rogachev were among those seeing Li and his delegation off at the Great Hall of the People.

(Xinhua 12/03/2000)