Vladimir Putin's closing remarks:

Mr Wen Jiabao, ladies and gentlemen,

First, I would like to give high marks to this meeting. Our negotiations have once again demonstrated that Russian-Chinese relations have risen to a new level of trust within our strategic partnership. The cooperation between our two countries is dynamic and is developing in practically every area. The dialogue between both the private and the public sectors is becoming increasingly comprehensive and detailed.

My counterpart, Mr Wen Jiabao, and I have discussed at length and in detail the state of and the prospects for bilateral cooperation. We both believe there is great potential for developing economic as well as cultural ties between Russia and China.

Over the past year there has been considerable progress in trade and in our economic relations in general. Estimates indicate another trade record this year hitting the $50-billion mark. We fully expect it to increase to $60 billion and then $80 billion eventually.

We also discussed these issues at the Third Russian-Chinese Economic Forum today. We believe it's necessary to make more effective use of the opportunities before us in many fields and to seek further diversification of our relations.

I am referring to the volume of our trade, its components, and a high degree of diversification of our relations. This would include energy, transport, investment, high technology, construction, farming and the environment. It is hard to name another country with whom we deal on such a wide range of interaction. And in each of these fields we are constantly boosting our efforts and respective results.

We are also satisfied with our mutual cultural cooperation. We plan to expand it and are considering a Year of the Russian Language in China and a Year of the Chinese Language in Russia.

Let me emphasise that our negotiations were held in a frank, constructive, friendly atmosphere, and this is characteristic of our relations over the years. Both parties show a sincere desire to achieve mutual results.

I would like once more to thank our guest - Prime Minister Wen Jiabao - and all of our Chinese friends for their productive work.

And please convey my best regards to President Hu Jintao.

Wen Jiabao' closing remarks:

Mr Putin, ladies and gentlemen,

I fully share the opinion expressed by Prime Minister Putin. This meeting took place against a backdrop of a close Chinese-Russian partnership and strategic interaction, and under the conditions of a global economic crisis. In this context, our meeting is of great value and demands serious consideration.

Mr Putin and I have engaged in an in-depth exchange of opinions affecting our countries and concerning global issues. I agree that our conversation took place in a sincere and friendly atmosphere. We reached full understanding on a wide variety of issues.

I believe our discussion will be important for the further development of a Chinese-Russian partnership and strategic interaction both now and in the future.

Based on mutual respect, equality and benefit, Russian-Chinese relations are growing in many fields including trade, economic relations and financial and cultural cooperation. We paid special attention to Russian-Chinese trade and economic ties, and the possibility of jointly countering the financial and economic crisis by strengthening our financial cooperation.

This cooperation will help stabilise our national economy, as well as international markets. The format of regularly scheduled prime minister summits has been a success. Also, I would like to thank the commissions and sub-commissions and all those who have taken part in the preparation for our meeting and who have contributed to its organisation.

This was my first meeting with Mr Putin in my capacity as prime minister. I think our friendship and trust will allow us to maintain a good working relationship in the future. I look forward to our joint efforts to promote our bilateral relations.

Thank you.

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The following documents were signed in the course of the 13th Regular Meeting of Prime Ministers of Russia and China:

Agreement on the principles of construction and operation of a pipeline from Skovorodino to the Chinese border between the Chinese National Oil and Gas Corporation and Transneft;

Agreement between the state corporation Vnesheconombank and the State Development Bank of China on cooperation in the joint financing of Russian-Chinese projects;

Basic credit agreement between Gazprombank and Export-Import Bank of China;

Protocol of intent between Helicopters of Russia and the Chinese company for the export and import of aviation technologies on the delivery of civilian helicopters to China;

Memorandum of understanding between Helicopters of Russia and the Aviacopter company concerning the joint development of a civilian heavy lift helicopter;

Memorandum between the state nuclear power corporation Rosatom and China National Nuclear Corporation on cooperation in the construction of two power plants in China to expand the Tianwan nuclear power plant and construct a demonstration fast-neutron reactor for commercial purposes;

Agreement between the state-controlled Russian Nanotechnologies Corporation and the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China on establishing a strategic cooperation union for nanotechnologies;

Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the People's Republic of China on the joint construction, operation, maintenance and servicing of a railway bridge across the Amur River (Heilongjiang) on the Russian-Chinese state border in the area of Nizhneleninskoye in the Jewish Autonomous Region of the Russian Federation and the town of Tongjiang in Heilongjiang Province of the People's Republic of China;

Protocol of the 9th meeting of the Russian-Chinese commission for cultural cooperation;

Protocol of the 12th meeting of the Russian-Chinese commission for the preparation of regular prime ministers contacts;

Memorandum of understanding on oil cooperation;

Joint communiqué on the 13th Regular Meeting of Prime Ministers of Russia and China.