China, Russia bolster ties with $3.5B deals

BEIJING: Russia and China looked to steady their close relationship on Tuesday when visiting Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin ushered through trade deals said to be worth $3.5 billion.

Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (front) arrives at Beijing airport October 12, 2009, for his three-day visit to China. [Agencies]

Putin's talks in Beijing with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao are also likely to cover the international hotspots on which both governments share many views, especially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's nuclear weapons programme and its latest missile tests.

But with China's economy steaming ahead while Russia has lagged during the global downturn, the two big neighbours appear focused on shoring up trade, energy and political ties.

Russian and Chinese companies signed deals worth $3.5 billion on Tuesday, the second day of Putin's visit to Beijing, his deputy Alexander Zhukov told reporters there.