China, Russia pledge to strengthen cooperation along Yangtze, Volga rivers

The second meeting of the council of cooperation between the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River and the Volga Federal District was co-chaired by Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Mikhail Babich, Russia's Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Volga Federal District. Noting the rapid development of the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination between China and Russia, Yang said that the "Yangtze-Volga" mechanism is running smoothly with fruitful results, helping to advance bilateral ties and cooperation. Babich spoke highly of the progress of this mechanism and said that Russia stands ready to implement the consensus of the two leaders, and promote local cooperation in such areas such as economy, trade, transport, tourism, culture, education and youth, so as to inject new impetus to bilateral ties.