The largest China-Russia economic and trade cooperation fair has ended in the city of Harbin, capital of northeastern Heilongjiang province. Chinese businesses signed a string of foreign trade agreements, worth almost 9 billion US dollars. While deals on domestic trade and economic projects hit 110 billion yuan.

The global economic downturn has taken its toll on international trade, but also promoted enterprises from home and abroad to actively seek cooperation.

Organizers of the trade fair say exhibitors from China, Russia, Japan, South Korea and Latin America sought multilateral trade through the platform.

Vice Commerce Minister, Gao Hucheng said because of the financial crisis, Sino-Russian trade volume declined 39 percent in the first five months of this year, the first slump in ten years. But he said the decline was just a temporary situation, and the Chinese government would do its best to help boost trade.

Gai Hucheng, Chinese Vice Commerce Minister said "All-round cooperation between China and Russia is expanding. The large number of Russian exhibitors at the Harbin Trade Fair along with the wide range of enterprises reflects this trend."

The Chinese government has carried out a series of moves to promote the economy in the northeastern region. Meanwhile, the Russian government has also enhanced exploration in the country's far east. Gao Hucheng says these efforts have provided an opportunity for further investment, as well as bilateral trade and cooperation.

(CCTV June 22, 2009)