Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is headed to China for a two-day visit.
On Tuesday, Vladimir Putin will arrive in Beijing to begin his official visit to China. This year, Russia and China mark the tenth anniversary of their signing of the bilateral Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation. In late 2010, China replaced Germany as Russia's No. 1 trade partner. Their bilateral trade turnover, which reached $59 billion last year, may top $70 billion in 2011, which would be an all-time high.
Prime Minister Putin is scheduled to hold talks with Hu Jintao, President of the People's Republic of China, and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao. Putin will be accompanied by a large Russian delegation comprising Deputy Prime Ministers Alexander Zhukov and Igor Sechin, Minister of Communications and Mass Media Igor Shche
golev, Minister of Agriculture Yelena Skrynnik and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Yury Trutnev, as well as Rosatom Chief Sergei Kiriyenko and Gazprom representatives.
Igor Sechin is actively negotiating a gas contract with China, according to Government reports. Moscow and Beijing are expected to conclude 17 agreements, including a cooperation memorandum in the area of economic modernisation. This document may act as an alternative to the earlier Russia-EU Partnership for Modernisation programme.
Moreover, the Russian delegation will raise the issue of intellectual property protection and will voice proposals on tourism. Notably, Alexander Zhukov has already asked Chinese companies to help expand the North Caucasus tourist cluster.
Yelena Chinkova