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Moscow, Beijing to set up commission on regional cooperation

Russia and China will restructure the Council for cooperation between Russia’s Far Eastern regions and Northeast China into an intergovernmental commission

BEIJING, October 20. /TASS/. Russia and China have expressed their intention to restructure the Council for cooperation between Russia’s Far Eastern regions and Northeast China into an intergovernmental commission at a meeting of the heads of state, Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District, Yuri Trutnev, said on Thursday.

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"Today we are holding a meeting in the format of the Council for cooperation between Russia’s Far Eastern regions and Northeast China," he said at the council’s second meeting. "This is a format that ensures the implementation of decisions by our heads of state aimed at fostering friendship and practical cooperation."

"We held the high-level private talks, where we discussed a number of issues, including the possibility of transforming the cooperation council into an intergovernmental commission during a meeting between the heads of state," Trutnev said. "Both sides reaffirmed that this type of transformation of the council is welcome. We will take steps to make sure that it becomes a full-fledged intergovernmental commission, since efforts to boost cooperation between Russia’s Far East and China’s northeast are the government’s work and a vital and responsible mission."

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According to Trutnev, Chinese enterprises are crucial among the foreign investors in Russia’s priority development areas. "I am confident that this work should be continued. We discussed a number of specific projects. I am sure there is an opportunity now to exchange views on the issue in greater detail," he said.

For his part, China’s Vice Premier Wang Yang spoke highly of the current stage of the Russian-Chinese relations. "Today’s meeting on the development of regional cooperation between Russia’s Far East and Northeast China saw the implementation of the consensus reached by our countries’ heads of state, the promotion of practical cooperation between the two countries to prepare for the 21st meeting between the Russian and Chinese premiers due next month," he stated.

"Since the beginning of this year, Russia and China have achieved positive results in developing the Far East. Early results have been achieved, which surpassed our expectations," he noted.

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