MOSCOW, March 13. /TASS/. Passenger traffic between Russia and China increased by 40% in January year-on-year, Russian Transport Minister Andrey Nikitin said, adding that the ministry expects further growth in traffic.

"We see an around 40% increase in January compared to last year. Last year, passenger traffic grew by about 30%, so overall, this is very good growth," he said in an interview in the Vesti program.

Visa-free travel has allowed for a sharp rise in passenger and tourist traffic, Nikitin noted. "Therefore, we plan to continue to expand our air traffic," he said.