Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:

Vladimir Putin: Mr Premier, ladies and gentlemen! I welcome you here in St Petersburg!

We are here for a Russia-China inter-government meeting. These meetings have proven effective, as decisions made here have contributed to the development of trade and economic relations between our countries.

I would like to note that the Russia-China strategic partnership is an important factor of stability and security in the world and in the Asia-Pacific region in particular.

The relations between our countries do not depend on the external situation and are improving rapidly in all areas: politics, the economy, science, education and culture.

I am confident that our meeting and joint work here today will provide a powerful impulse to the development of our relations.

Welcome!

Wen Jiabao (as translated): I am very pleased to visit Russia again and hold the 15^th regular Russia-China meeting with you, Mr Putin.

I would like to thank you, Mr Putin, and the government as a whole for a warm welcome and hospitality.

Yesterday evening we exchanged our opinions on various issues. Today I am ready to hold the 15^th regular meeting as a co-chairman.

I would like to note that in the past year we achieved significant changes in the Russia-China strategic partnership. The heads of our countries have maintained close contact, thus promoting our cooperation in the current difficult international and regional situation. I would like to note that China and Russia support each other in the important issues relating to our sovereignty, security and development. We have thus managed to secure our common interests and have helped provide peace and progress in the world as a whole, as well as in the region.

I think we should continue strengthening our strategic and political relations. Our joint efforts in providing stability and development in the border regions, have strengthened our collaboration and the coordination of the leading international organisations and institutions that promoted our cooperation in key areas and accelerated our countries’ development in order to elevate our relations and strategic partnership to a higher level.

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin:  Mr Premier, ladies and gentlemen! I would like to note that we have successfully passed the Year of the Chinese Language in Russia and the Year of the Russian Language in China. The closing ceremony for these cultural Years will take place in Moscow tomorrow. I would like to thank the Chinese and Russian specialists, experts, all of our colleagues and friends who worked on these events.

As for the trade and economic ties between Russia and China, they came through the crisis successfully and have become stronger. Sales turnover grew 56% to 42 billion dollars in the last nine months. Turnover on some goods grew considerably: 83% on sawn timber, 40% on electricity and almost 30% on coking coal.