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Putin sets the task of bringing Sino-Russian trade volumes to 100 bln dollars by 2015

Reciprocal trade, Putin said, grew by 5.1% last year to reach almost 90 billion dollars

MOSCOW, March 23 (Itar-Tass) – Russia and China will be able to bring reciprocal trade up to 100 billion dollars by 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday after talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Reciprocal trade, Putin said, grew by 5.1% last year to reach almost 90 billion dollars. The Russian president believes the task of bringing it to 100 billion dollars by 2015 is quite realistic.

Putin noted that multi-dimensional cooperation between Russia and China met the interests of people in both countries.

The Russian leader added that the sides intended to encourage investment projects. The mutual amount of direct investments (about 5.5 billion dollars) did not fully disclose the potential of Russian and Chinese economies.

“We agreed to be more active in using the potential of the Russian-Chinese Investment Fund. Special attention will be paid to infrastructure and production projects in Russia’s Far East,” Putin said.

President Putin had declared 2014-2015 to be a year of youth exchanges between Russia and China. The initiative came from visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“We are going to support this initiative. We will do everything to enable our young people to communicate freely, discuss joint projects and plan joint initiatives for historical perspective,” Putin said.

The Russian leader said that in previous years large-scale events in culture, art and education had contributed to deeper humanitarian cooperation.

Putin said that the Year of Russian tourism had taken place in China. The number of Chinese tourists visiting Russia is on the rise. “The year of Chinese tourism is kicking off in Russia today,” the Russian president said.

“In 2010, Mr. Xi Jinping and I discussed the possibility of preparing an exposition devoted to the 6th Congress of the Communist Party of China. The congress took place in the village of Pervomaiskoye near Moscow in 1928. We agreed to open a permanent exposition in that village,” the Russian head of state said.

Russian scientific expedition expedition finds microplastics in tundra snow

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A spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces declined to comment on the reports of the strike

Ukrainian military reportedly uses HIMARS rocket launcher to attack Gorlovka

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Palestine’s full UN membership more urgent now than ever before — China’s envoy

Fu Cong denied claims that direct talks with Israel are a vital precondition for Palestine’s UN membership

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Palestinian envoy says Israel plans to destroy Palestine

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The agency said it and the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine informed their Polish counterparts about the alleged assassination attempt

No foreign state attacks Iran — TV

Earlier, the media reported, citing a US official, that Israel had launched a missile strike on a site in Iranian territory

US deploying missiles in Philippines to endanger global security — Russian envoy

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CIA chief says Ukraine could lose by end of this year — Politico

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At least 16 Syrian troops killed in terrorists’ ambush in east Syria — TV

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Energy prices help US economy to develop better than Europe — IMF

It is reported that the US has benefited from more favorable conditions in terms of energy prices, something that has been quite a serious factor for Europe, not a positive factor for Europe

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Ukrainian president admits Russian troops’ advancement

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G7 foreign ministers set to call on all sides to exercise restraint in Middle East

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Iran to review nuclear doctrine in case of Israeli aggression — IRGC

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Nearly half of those present in UN Security Council hall walk out before Israel’s address

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US blocks Security Council resolution granting full UN membership to Palestine

A total of 12 countries, including Russia and China, voted in favor of the document

Exports of Chinese goods to Ukraine rise by 50% to $783 mln in January - March

According to the General Administration of Customs of China, in 2022 the volume of Chinese-Ukrainian trade fell by 60% to $7.65 bln

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Nikol Pashinyan pointed out that the demarcation process also involves risks, but they are manageable, after which "Armenia will become ten times stronger"

Pipeline explodes in Kharkov Region

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Russian chief prosecutor suggests agreement with Venezuela’s supreme audit body

Igor Krasnov reiterated the importance of control over anti-corruption measures and related legislation

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EU plans to invest first profits from Russian assets in military aid to Kiev

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Chinese car plant to start production at former Mercedes site in Moscow region in May

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Maria Zakharova noted the need to "wait for official information from the investigation"

Serial production of missiles for S-500 air defense systems begins in Russia — source

State trials of S-500 are under way at a testing range in southern Russia

Polish premier refuses to hand over his country’s Patriot systems to Ukraine

Donald Tusk said that German Chancellor’s call to send more air defense systems to Kiev had no relation to Poland, provided the country's geographical position near the frontline

Russian forces destroy Ukrainian command post, two S-300 missile launchers over day

Russian forces improved their frontline positions and repelled a Ukrainian army counterattack in the Donetsk area where the enemy lost roughly 590 troops over the past day, the ministry reported

MiG-31I fighters receive air refueling system

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French president says creating Israeli-type air defense network for Ukraine impossible

Emmanuel Macron added that Europe’s resources are limited, and the European Union will continue helping Kiev keeping in mind its own reserves

Crimea, Donbass to forever remain within Russia, Slovak PM tells national parliament

Robert Fico believes Moscow will win in its confrontation with Kiev

EU border checkpoint closest to Russia’s St. Petersburg to cut its working hours

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Number of applications in RuStore surpasses 37,000

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Iran threatens to attack Israel's "nuclear centers" in case of aggression on its part

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Tehran’s two major airports cancel international flights — Mehr

Imam Khomeini International Airport and Mehrabad International Airport suspended their operations until 10:30 a.m. local time

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China to act over possible US measures for alleged support of Russian defense sector

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Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

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Press TV reports all of Iran's hypersonic missiles hit intended targets in Israel

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US 'not forgetting' to help itself with aid to Ukraine — Kremlin

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Dmitry Peskov underscored that Moscow has already made its position clear on this matter

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EU summit calls to continue work on duties on Russian, Belarusian agricultural produce

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US blackmails other countries at United Nations — Russian mission

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US veto for Palestinian membership proves Washington’s anti-Palestinian stance — Hamas

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Ukrainians abroad storming embassies to avoid mobilization, Russian diplomat says

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Iran intends to bolster military cooperation with Russia — envoy to Moscow

Kazem Jalali noted that Iran had demonstrated its ability to ensure security and nudge the region toward a de-escalation

Ukraine’s military loses positions near Avdeyevka, says DPR

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Russia’s defense chief inspects production of tanks, flamethrowers at Siberian enterprise

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UN Security Council vote exposes practically full isolation of US — Russia’s UN mission

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Russia will not 'shake up' relations with Argentina due to its partnership with NATO — MFA

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Water in Kurgan above dam, breaking records

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Ukraine convicts 12th world chess champion for recognizing Donetsk, Lugansk republics

The two other State Duma members mentioned in the verdict alongside Karpov are Viktor Kazakov and Georgy Karlov

French, US, British nukes all interwoven — Russian diplomat

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West, Kiev indulge in nuclear blackmail by demanding control of ZNPP — Russian MFA

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Ukrainian trace obvious in Crocus City Hall attack — Russian prosecutor general

The law enforcement employees exert efforts to identify the instigators of this crime, Igor Krasnov said

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Infrastructure is required to implement the investment project, both power transmission lines and the railroad, Andrey Chibis noted

Russia, Iran maintain contacts on nuclear security - deputy foreign minister

Sergey Ryabkov said that "very soon, Russia and Iran will have new additional opportunities to discuss the situation in the Middle East in general, as well as details of what is going on there at this point"

Effort to grant full UN membership to Palestine will continue — Russian mission

"The UN history has precedents when states were not admitted on their first try. The number of attempts is not limited," Nadezhda Sokolova said

Kiev continues to openly announce terrorist attacks on Russia — diplomat

Maria Zakharova also pointed to the fact that Ukraine's special services do not give up attempts to "massacre their former compatriots"

Kiev lacks both troops and equipment near Chasov Yar in DPR, says retired general

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France-Russia relations hit rock bottom — ex-envoy to Paris

Alexander Orlov noted that recently French President Emmanuel Macron "has made a number of questionable moves that have increased the divide" between both countries

Ukrainian military under constant gunfire by Russian troops near Urozhainoye, says POW

Yevgeny Pogrebnyak said that he was treated well by Russian troops in his captivity

Kiev ordered mandatory evacuation from Kharkov Region to accommodate mercenaries

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Vehicles, equipment participating in Victory Day parade depart for Moscow — ministry

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Argentina applies for status of NATO’s global partner

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Putin points to high risk of new epidemic outbreaks

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