Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji and Kasyanov are to hold the seventh regular meeting between the two countries' prime ministers Thursday.

Russian Premier Leaves for Chinese Visit

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov left Moscow Tuesday for a three-day official visit to China, where he would hold the seventh regular meeting with his Chinese counterpart Zhu Rongji.

During their talks in Shanghai, China, the two premiers would pay most attention to bilateral trade and economic cooperation, especially in the fields of energy, banking, transport, high technology and peaceful exploration of outer space, a Foreign Ministry official said on the eve of Kasyanov's departure.

The official said the two would attach special attention to investment cooperation and ways to adjust bilateral relations after China's entrance into the World Trade Organization (WTO). The agenda will also include international issues, he added. Kasyanov will also meet with Chinese President Jiang Zemin.

Russia and China have enjoyed boosting trading in recent years. Trade turnover between the two countries reached record US$10.7 billion last year, and the figure amounted to US$6.2 billion in the first seven months this year, up 20 percent from the same period last year.

China is now Russia's sixth biggest trade partner and Russia ranks the eighth in China's list.

(Edited from Xinhua News Agency, August 21, 2002)