CHAGNCHUN, Sept. 6(Xinhuanet)-- Sino-Russian economic and trade ties are expected to boost to a new level with increased bilateral cooperation in automobiles, communications, home appliances, building materials and agriculture sectors.

This is the view shared by Chinese and Russian representatives attending the ongoing First China Jilin-Northeast Asia Investment and Trade Expo held in Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province.

"There are new opportunities for the two nations to cooperate in economic and trade fields," said Wang Junwen, an economic and commercial minister-counselor with the Chinese Embassy in Moscow.

The Russian delegation, which includes more than 180 representatives from 62 firms, would like to seek economic cooperation in a dozen industries, such as auto parts, construction, finance and pharmaceuticals sectors

During the five-day Northeast Asia Expo, which kicked off last Friday, China and Russia signed four cooperative agreements worth 32 million US dollars in the spheres of construction materials, timber and fishery.

Sources said Chinese-made sedans and home appliances are attractive to Russian clients for their cheap prices.

Russia's car market is expected to reach up to 40 billion US dollars by 2010 and the country's TV sales volume will increase anywhere from 6 million to 10 million in 2006.

In addition, energy is another domain for Sino-Russian economic cooperation. Some Russian representatives said their country needs to draw foreign capital and technology to develop the rich natural resources in Russia's Far East during the Northeast Asia Expo.

Jiuichi, an official with the Far East Region of Khabarovsk, said that Russia can provide China with rudimentary energy products like petroleum, natural gas and electricity, while Russianeeds to buy consumer goods from China.

Sino-Russian economic and trade relationship has been in a sustainable and fast growth period in recent years, said Ma She, deputy director of European Affairs Department under the Chinese Ministry of Commerce. The China-Russia trade volume hit a record 21.2 billion US dollars last year, up 34.7 percent over 2003.

Bilateral trade in the first seven months this year reached 15 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of over 30 percent. The total trade volume this year is likely to be a new record, Ma said.

However, a mono trade structure, small investment scale, weak economic and technological cooperation, irregular trade order, and the difficulty in payment and settlement, among others, constitute major barriers to Sino-Russian economic and trade cooperation, experts said.

Nevertheless, they still believe there exists a great potentialand bright prospect for the economic cooperation between the two neighbors. Enditem