This is the 6th session of the Committee of the Prime Ministers' Regular Meeting, which is chaired by Wu Yi and Khristenko.

They reviewed the achievements of Sino-Russian cooperation in various fields and inspected the implementation of agreements reached by the two Prime Ministers at their 6th Regular Meeting and the Committee's 5th session.

Both Wu and Khristenko praised progress in Sino-Russian trade and economic cooperation. They agreed bilateral cooperation in this stable and fast-growing field had reached new levels and trade cooperation had expanded to an unprecedented degree.

Statistics showed that trade between China and Russia topped US$10.67 billion last year and is expected to be higher this year judging from its fast growth in the first seven months.

The two sides exchanged views on the implementation of some key cooperative projects and reached broad consensus on a variety of issues. These included the Sino-Russian gasoline pipeline project, natural gas exploitation, the setting up of a Chinese trade center in Moscow, a Chinese high-tech park in Russia and the establishment of a Sino-Russian telecommunications technology center.

Both agreed that stable trade and economic ties were the basis of bilateral relations as well as a strong guarantee for maintaining the vitality of the Sino-Russian strategic cooperative partnership.

They also agreed to jointly boost current cooperation and lay down long-term cooperative plans in various fields for maintaining the stable and healthy development of Sino-Russian cooperation.

At the meeting, the two sides also approved a series of important documents on bilateral economic and trade cooperation, which are to be signed during the Prime Ministers' Regular Meeting. 　

Khristenko arrived in Shanghai on Monday for a visit to China at the invitation of Wu Yi.

(Xinhua News Agency August 20, 2002)