ST. PETERSBURG, June 5. /TASS/. The trade turnover volume between Russia and China is above expectations at present, President Vladimir Putin said at the meeting with heads of international news agencies organized by TASS.

"China is our main trade and economic partner during fifteen years," the Russian leader noted. "I should say we are doing almost everything right, the trade turnover volume is above our expectations now: according to the Chinese statistics, it is $240 bln, according to the our one - slightly smaller, about [$]230 [bln] but the point is not even in the trade turnover volume but in our diversification of it, and rather successful," the President said.

Relations between Russia and China started evolving and were brought to their current level "not in connection with some situational political developments of the day but long before that," Putin noted. Both countries acted "very thoroughly, calmly and step by step," relying on mutual interests he added.