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Russian Railways CEO calls for further development of ties with China

SHANGHAI, July 19. /ITAR-TASS/. Russian Railways (RZD) President Vladimir Yakunin called for further development of railway cooperation with China.

“As trade and economic ties with the Asia Pacific countries develop, primarily with China, the development of the eastern network of Russian railways becomes increasingly important,” Yakunin said at the conference “Great Silk Road and Trans-Eurasian Belt” on Saturday, July 19.

He believes that container transportation from land-locked northeastern provinces of China via the Russian Far Eastern ports to the south of China, Japan, the Republic of Korea and other countries could be one of the most promising areas of cooperation.

Yakunin recalled the agreement on strategic cooperation between RZD and China Railway Corporation that was signed during President Vladimir Putin’s visit to China in May of this year.

“Coordinated development of Russian and Chinese railways is an important condition for the expansion of foreign economic ties between other countries in Europe and Asia,” he said.

In 2013, the volume of cross-border railway transportation with China increased by 2.2 million tonnes from the previous year, reaching 30.5 million tonnes. In the first five months of this year, it dropped by 7% (821,500 tonnes) from the same period of last year to 11.7 million tonnes, including export 10.8 million tonnes (down 5% or 557,300 tonnes) and import 784,500 tonnes (down 27% or 287,900 tonnes).

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