ST. PETERSBURG, November 17. /TASS/. Russia and China are expected to reach a trade turnover of $200 bln this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

"We are exhibiting a very high level of collaboration in all of the most critical areas - the 200 bln in trade turnover that we discussed and strived for will be achieved ahead of time. We are very likely to have 200 bln in trade turnover this year," he said.

According to Putin, Russia and China have never attained the current level of trust before. "Without a doubt, the foundation of our success is the trust I mentioned, and it cannot be achieved without direct contact between people, and it cannot be achieved solely through the movement of goods across the rivers that divide our states. It should be carried out along the bridges built between people's hearts and souls. Built not just over decades, but over centuries of our shared existence as neighbors. This is the foundation of all of our successes," he added.

The mutual interest of Russia and China in each other's culture continues to grow, the president noted. "Our interest is mutual, it is growing, we see China’s public interest in Russian culture," the president said.