960415

China, Russia

promote trade

ties with neighbours

BEIJING: China and Russia are to

promote trade links between Xinjiang, Siberia and the former

Soviet states bordering northwest China with a Russian trade fair

in June and a Chinese one in September. "Xinjiang, which has close economic ties with central Asian

countries is focusing on trade cooperation with the Russian

federation," Wei Jianguo, director of the Autonomous Regional

Bureau of Foreign Economic Cooperation and Trade (ARBFECT), was

quoted by the China Daily on Monday as saying.

Russian and Chinese officials have travelled to the border

regions to discuss trade development.

Siberia is to hold an export commodity fair and trade talks

in June, while Xinjiang is to host the fifth Urumqi Economic

and Foreign Trade Talks in September.

A special exhibition hall devoted to Russian exports will

be opened at the September fair, Wei said.

Xinjiang's trade volume with Russia was 38.69 million US

dollars in 1995, while its total border trade, including

exchanges with Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan and Tajikstan,

was 695 million dollars.-AFP