CRI：2013-03-22 Sino-Russia Relations (Feng Shaolei)

Source：CRIENGLSH

Reprint link：http://english.cri.cn/7146/2013/03/22/3381s755248.htm

CRIENGLSH：2013-03-22 Sino-Russia Relations

Newly elected Chinese President Xi Jinping starts his visit to Russia, the first leg of his four-state visit since he became the new President earlier in March. During his state visit to Russia, Xi Jinping will announce the opening of the Chinese Tourism Year in Russia. He will also deliver a speech at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.

Over the years, China-Russian relations have undergone robust development. Bilateral trade has amounted to 88 billion U.S. dollars in 2012, an 11.2-percent increase year-on-year. On the world stage, China and Russia have strengthened their strategic coordination facing intricate global and regional situations. President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia this time is expected to promote both countries' pragmatic cooperation in energy, trade and people-to-people exchanges.

So what is the focus of President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia this time? And how can China and Russia advance their already robust relationship?

Ni hao, you're listening to   People In the Know, bringing you insights into the headline news in China and around the world, I'm Zheng Chenguang in Beijing.

We speak to Prof. Feng Shaolei, director of the Center for Russian Studies at East China Normal University and Yulia Lukina, Junior research fellow of Center for East Asian and SCO Studies in Moscow State Institute of International Relations.