BEIJING - Some Chinese experts hailed Premier Wen Jiabao's ongoing visit to Russia, saying it helped to promote bilateral ties and cooperation.

CHINA-RUSSIA TIES PRESERVE GLOBAL STRATEGIC BALANCE

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During the visit, Wen held talks with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. The two sides agreed that solid and strong Chinese-Russian ties  will help to preserve the global strategic balance and pledged to further such relations.

"Since the end of the Cold War, China and Russia have cooperated well and their influence has overflowed into the world arena," said Jiang Yi, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Such a relationship has grown into a positive force in the forming of a new international order and promoting democracy in international relations, he said.

"In light of the global financial crisis, China and Russia, both emerging economies, extended their cooperation and influence into the global financial sector and contributed to the increase of developing countries' say and rights in the international financial regime," Jiang said.

The most significant contribution made by the two states to the world is their practice of mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation based on equal consultation, said Wang Lijiu, a professor with the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.

TAP POTENTIAL FOR SUBSTANTIAL COOPERATION

During their talks, Wen and Putin agreed to stimulate bilateral trade and investment and witnessed the signing of 12 co-operation agreements, ranging from civil aviation and railway transport to intellectual rights protection and nuclear power plants.

"All those agreements indicated that Chinese-Russian economic and trade ties have become more substantial." Jiang said, noting that cooperation in two-way investment, technology and financing could become the new source of growth.

Meanwhile, Russia's construction of approximately 20 economic special zones and its new round of privatization of about 900 state-owned enterprises provided great opportunities for Chinese investors and entrepreneurs, Wang said. "Russia's modernization needs money, while China and other emerging economies could be added to its option list besides the West."

PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE CONTACT ENHANCED

Just two days before the 15th regular meeting between the two prime ministers, China and Russia held a vice prime minister-level meeting on humanitarian cooperation.

The two sides, according to a press release, reached a consensus on expanding cooperation in sectors such as education, culture, healthcare, sports, tourism, media, movie-making and youth.

On Wednesday, as part of the efforts to nurture friendship, Wen awarded a number of Russian individuals for their significant contributions to the China-Russia languages and cultural exchange.

"There is increasing non-official participation in the development of Chinese-Russian ties, which could enhance the grass-roots' understanding of, and support to the authorities' policy, and forge a solid foundation of friendship between the two peoples," Wang said.