China, Russia to boost cooperation in space, aviation sectors

MOSCOW, September 18. /TASS/. China and Russia plan to boost cooperation in aviation and space sectors, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Li Hui said at the Russian-Chinese forum dubbed Moscow and Beijing: Trade, Economic and Cultural Cooperation on Silk Road.

"A Chinese-Russian joint company for cooperation in developing wide-body long-range aircraft has been established officially," the ambassador said. "Perhaps, this year, the implementation of the Chinese-Russian project for creating a heavy helicopter will begin," he pointed out adding that "China and Russia have been expanding cooperation in aviation and space sectors."

According to Li Hui, in the past two years, significant achievements were made in harmonizing the two countries’ national strategies. "As for trade and economic cooperation, bilateral trade has grown, exceeding $46 billion in the first seven months of the current year, which is 24.96% more compared with the same period last year," the Chinese ambassador said.

Li Hui went on to say that China and Russia were also advancing infrastructure and energy projects. "The eastern route project of the Chinese-Russian gas pipeline is being implemented. The first part of the Yamal LNG project will be implemented this year," he noted. "A cross-border railway bridge, which will connect Northeast China and Russia’s Far East, is under construction, as well as the Primorye-1 and Primorye-2 transport corridors," the Chinese ambassador added.

Moscow and Beijing signed an agreement on creating a heavy civil helicopter in June 2016, during Russian president Vladimir Putin’s official visit to China. In late August, International Cooperation and Regional Policy Director at Russia’s state hi-tech corporation Rostec Viktor Kladov said that a contract concerning the joint project to create a heavy helicopter could be signed before the end of the year, while the total output may reach at least 200 helicopters.