Russian and Chinese PMs to discuss growth in Russian weapons exports

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov will continue his official visit toChina today. He is expected to meet Zhu Rongji, Premier of the ChineseState Council, and participate in the Russian-Chinese intergovernmentalnegotiations in Shanghai today.The heads of the governments of the two countries will draw their firstresults of the work on the implementation of the Russian-Chinese agreementon friendship and cooperation signed by Russian President Vladimir Putinand Chinese President Jiang Zemin in July 2001. The main issue of thenegotiations will be questions concerning trade and economic cooperation,collaboration in the banking and energy sectors, transport, hightechnologies and peaceful exploration of space. Special attention will bepaid to improving the situation in the investment cooperation. Moreover,Kasyanov and Zhu Rongji will discuss the problem of adaptation of bilateraltrade relations to new conditions due to China's accession to the WorldTrade Organization and negotiations on Russia's ascension to thisorganization.The parties will also consider issues bound with a possible increase inRussian military equipment exports to China. Today this question should besettled finally.After negotiations in Shanghai Kasyanov is to leave for Beijing..