Russian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Zhukov speaks at a news conference in Beijing November 6.

Zhukov came ahead of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov's official visit to China, which is slated for November 6. After talking with Chinese Vice Premier of the State Council Wu Yi, Zhukov held a press conference to talk about the results of China's Year of Russia and bilateral cooperation in major industries.

The deputy prime minister noted the Year of Russia in China was fruitful, as the two nations have signed a series of agreements on language training, education, tourism, medical treatment and other fields, and will further sign 17 contracts to build nuclear power plants when Fradkov comes, a move to consolidate a strategic partnership with China.

Accoring to Zhukov, bilateral trade volume this year has reached US$30 billion, 25 percent up so far this year, and will be increased to US$60 billion by 2009, one year earlier than the previous expectation.

Despite competition in energy industries between the two countries, Russia will keep its promise to pipe crude oil and natural gas, as well as transmit electricity to China, Zhukov said.

As to the imbalance of bilateral trade structure, with more than half of Russia's exports to China being energy resources, Zhukov said he was disappointed at the decline in mechanical and electronic equipment exports to China, and called for an improvement.

Fradkov is scheduled to meet his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao in Beijing, and make an address at the closing ceremony of China's Year of Russia on November 9. He will also visit the National Exhibition on Russia in Beijing, which is a high-level exhibition that covers a broad range of economic and industrial fields.