Chinese, Russian regions sign deals

Economic, investment and cultural agreements have been signed at a forum on cooperation between regions along the Yangtze River in China and the Volga River in Russia.

The forum on Friday was co-chaired by Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Mikhail Babich, Russia's presidential envoy, in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province.

Yang said he hoped the two sides can make full use of this mechanism to deepen cooperation and improve ties between the two countries.

Yang said partnerships between regions along the Yangtze and Volga rivers tie into the infrastructure and trade development plans of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the Eurasian Economic Union.

Proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, the Silk Road Economic Belt aims to revive ancient trade routes between Asia and Europe.

Yang hopes that the two sides will provide more sophisticated support facilities for each other and offer more people-to-people exchanges.

Babich said Russia is ready to tap the potential in cooperation, so as to realize common development and prosperity.