OREANDA-NEWS. February 1, 2012. Russian members of the Russia-China Business Council held a meeting at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Russia to hear reports.

Russian Cochairman of the Russia-China Business Council Boris Titov, CCI of Russia Vice-President Georgy Petrov, Director of the CCI of Russia Department for Foreign Economic Cooperation Sergey Vasiliev, representatives of ministries, departments and member organizations of the Business Council’s Russian delegation attended the meeting.

Boris Titov opened and chaired the meeting. In his introductory speech he noted the successful and efficient work of the Business Council for the benefit of Russia-China trade and economic relations. He gave the floor to Russian Cochairman of the Russia-China Committee of Amity, Peace and Development Leonid Drachevsky who told the audience about results of a plenary meeting of the Committee, stressed its efficiency and noted the attention of the Chinese participants to the activity of the Russia-China Business Council.

CCI of Russia Vice-President Georgy Petrov addressed the meeting on behalf of the Chamber. He noted a substantial contribution of Russian members of the Business Council to the development of Russia-China trade, investments and economic cooperation. Through the years of the Business Council’s existence, China has become a leading trade partner of Russia.

The economic potential of two countries makes it possible to develop relations on a high level, Georgy Petrov said. In the past eight years, the Business Council has become an efficient and important instrument of Russia-China business cooperation. Both delegations to the Council are successfully implementing projects worth of more than USD 9 billion. That is a tangible contribution of the Business Council to Russia-China relations, CCI of Russia Vice-President Georgy Petrov summed up. He presented a letter of thanks from CCI of Russia President Sergey Katyrin to Business Council Russian Deputy Cochairman, Executive Director Alexey Kalashnik for the big contribution to the development and strengthening of Russia-China trade and economic cooperation and the establishment of mutually beneficial relations between businessmen of Russia and China.

Russian Central Bank Deputy Chairman Viktor Melnikov told the audience about his opinion of the development of Russia-China trade and economic relations. In his words, the two economies should find new methods of interaction for further strengthening and success of mutually beneficial development.

Alexey Kalashnik made a report on the activity of the Russian delegation to the Russia-China Business Council in 2011. He singled out as a main event and result the Russia-China forum for cooperation in machine building and electronics (January 2011), the Russia-China Business Dialog (April 2011), the participation of Russian members of the Business Council in some events of the visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao to Russia (June 2011) and some others. He noted the efficient and busy work of the Russian delegation to the Russia-China Business Council. Twenty-seven large projects with the total value of approximately USD 10 billion are being implemented, Alexey Kalashnik said.

Chairman of the Business Council Audit Commission Sergey Agibalov made a report on the Business Council financial and economic activity in 2011.

Deputy head of the Russia-China Business Council Academic and Expert Committee Vladimir Lebedev made a report on the Committee work in 2011.

The implementation of Russia-China agreements, projects and programs was reported by LLC BIPRES General Director Igor Maslov, Tractor Plants Concern Executive Director Eduard Makhovikov, RICOM Managing Company General Director Yelena Trofimova, and KIT Engineering Holding Managing Partner Alexander Tolstykh. They affirmed the successful development and prospects for bilateral cooperation in banking, machine building, venture investments and business missions of Russian energy companies in China.

Business Council Russian Cochairman Boris Titov summed up the reports and declared the positive development of Russia-China relations and the steady growth of trade. At the same time, he regretted the imperfect structure of Russian exports, in which raw materials prevailed, and called attention of the Business Council members to the need for exports of Russian technologies, services and cooperation in venture and banking spheres.

Alexey Kalashnik told the audience about the work plan of the Russian delegation to the Russia-China Business Council in 2012. He accentuated the upcoming business forum of the BRICS Group member states due in New Delhi on March 28, 2012.

The meeting ended with the awarding of honorary diplomas to representatives of member organizations of the Business Council, who made the biggest contribution to the development of Russia-China relations.