MOSCOW, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese and Russian enterprises signed 21 agreements and contracts worth 4.3 billion U.S. dollars after the opening ceremony of China's national exhibition here Tuesday.

Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi and Russian Economic Development and Trade Minister German Gref took part in the signing ceremony.

Among those agreements and contracts, 17 trade deals valued at about 3.7 billion dollars were signed. These include exports of Chinese cars, home appliances and farm products to Russia, as well as imports of Russian machine tools and silicic steel plates to China. Four economic cooperation projects worth 586 million dollars in timber processing, shipbuilding and mining were also inked.

Double-digit growth has been registered in two-way trade for the past eight years. Trade volume hit a record 33.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2006, up 15 percent from the previous year, according to Chinese Commerce Ministry figures.

The two countries have decided to raise the volume of bilateral trade to 60-80 billion dollars by 2010, and the investment of China in Russia to 12 billion dollars by 2020.

Chinese, Russian presidents pledge to expand trade, cultural co-op

MOSCOW, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin vowed Tuesday to expand cooperation in trade, economic, social and cultural fields.

The two leaders made the pledge at the opening ceremony of a four-day Chinese national exhibition in Russia Tuesday morning. Full story

Chinese, Russian presidents vow to strengthen strategic partnership

MOSCOW, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Monday pledged to further promote the Sino-Russian strategic partnership of cooperation.

Since the two countries forged the strategic partnership of cooperation 10 years ago, bilateral cooperation in various fields has been developing smoothly, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples, the presidents said in a joint statement. Full story

China, Russia reach common ground on major international issues

MOSCOW, March 26 (Xinhua) -- China and Russia have reached common ground on major international issues as Chinese President Hu Jintao and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin met here on Monday.

After their talks, the two leaders signed a joint statement, outlining the two countries' concerted attitudes to and stances on some major international issues.