Broad prospects for cooperation lie in the regional and inter-parliamentary ties between China and Russia as mutual political trust and bilateral economic and trade ties are continually deepening, Li Tieying, vice chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, said in Moscow Thursday. 

Speaking at the China-Russia forum on regional and inter-parliamentary cooperation, Li said China and Russia, as neighbors, are advantaged in developing bilateral ties, which are currently at their prime period of growth.

China and Russia share a mission to prosper and can complement each other in developing their economies, and the two countries' leadership has decided to boost bilateral trade to US$60-80 billion by 2010, Li said.

To this end, both sides need to expand areas of joint work, boost border and regional cooperation and strengthen links between the two countries' medium and small businesses, he said. Services should also be improved to facilitate bilateral trade, he added.

The forum, which opened in the Russian capital Thursday, gathered lawmakers and officials from China and Russia's Federation Council, the upper house of parliament.

On the same day, Li met with Dmitri Mezentsev, deputy speaker of the Federation Council, to discuss issues relating to regional and inter-parliamentary cooperation between the two countries.

(Xinhua News Agency June 10, 2005)