Russia-China trade drops in monetary value, grows in amount - Putin.

13/10 Tass 235

BEIJING, October 13 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia-China trade dropped in
monetary value this year because of the world economic slowdown, but grew
in physical amount, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin told the Chinese media
on Tuesday.

He said bilateral trade amounted to $56 billion last year.
Transboundary cooperation has a particular significance for bilateral
trade, Putin said. The two chiefs of state coordinated a program of
inter-regional cooperation for the period until 2018.
"China has a program for the development of northeastern territories,
and us have a program for the development of the Trans-Baikal area, East
Siberia and the Far East. Coordination of regional development efforts may
have a synergistic effect," he said.
Cooperation in high tech spheres and trade in highly processed
commodities are most important, he said. Trade in such goods has enlarged,
he remarked.
It is also necessary to cooperate in woodworking and energy, he said.
"We have resumed electricity supply from the Russian Far East to China for
the first time in many years," he said.
Hydrocarbon cooperation and infrastructure are no less significant,
Putin said.
Over $3 billion worth of contracts have been signed at the
Russia-China Business Forum in Beijing. "The potential is large," Putin
said.
-0-yer