High-tech development zones in China and Russia have joined forces to promote the fostering and industrialization of new high-tech achievements.

Staff from the Harbin Development Zone, in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, and the science and technology park in Novosibirsk, Russia, signed an agreement for this purpose late last week.

The two sides will work together in the fields of electronics, new materials, new techniques, bio-medicine, machinery and spare parts.

In an effort to bolster high-tech development, the development zone in Harbin will set aside an area covering 2,000 square meters (2392 square yards), and the sci-tech park in Russia will provide a building with a floor space of 4,000 to 5,000 square meters (4784 to 5980 square yards).

The agreement requires that the two sides will offer favorable policies to encourage Chinese and Russian scientists and research institutes to industrialize their scientific achievements. Accordingly, the two sides will grant preferential treatment in company registration, taxation, financing, personnel entry and exit convenience, and the import and export of goods.

Harbin Development Zone is one of China's major state-level economic and high-tech development zones. Novosibirsk sci-tech park employs 50 percent of Russia's competent scientists.

(Xinhua News Agency June 17, 2002)