China, Russia Satisfied With Results of Russian PM Visit

Both China and Russia are satisfied with the results of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov's visit to China last week, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao said in Beijing today, Xinhuanet reports. Zhu said at a regular press conference that Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji and Kasyanov have agreed to hold their next regular meeting in the fall of 2001 in Moscow. Chinese President Jiang Zemin, Chairman Li Peng of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) and Premier Zhu Rongji had meetings with Kasyanov, exchanged views on deepening mutually beneficial cooperation in the political, economic, scientific and technological fields and international affairs, and reached wide-ranging consensus. China and Russia signed a number of documents during the fifth regular meeting of their heads of government. The documents include an agreement on the joint exploitation of forests, a Sino- Russian trade agreement effective from 2001 to 2005, and an agreement on Sino-Russian scientific and technological cooperation in the exploitation of land and mineral resources.