(17 Feb 1998) Russian/Nat
Chinese Premier Li Peng has concluded the first day of his visit to the Russian capital on Tuesday by signing new trade agreements between Beijing and Moscow.
Li Peng is heading a delegation to Russia which is due to discuss a proposed visit by Chinese president Zhian Zemin later in the year.
It's also thought that the situation in Iraq will also be among the main topics of discussion during his visit.
Despite the thaw in Sino-Russian relations the Chinese premier got literally a chilly welcome at Moscow's V-I-P airport Vnukovo 1.
In freezing temperatures the guard of honour did their best to battle against the winds blowing across the runway.
First deputy prime minister Boris Nemtsov led the Russian delegation who came to greet Li Peng and his wife.
After the usual ceremonies accorded to the visit of a world leader, Li Peng was rushed to the Kremlin to meet Russian President Boris Yeltsin and his wife Naina.
The two couples seemed relaxed as Yeltsin presented the Chinese Premier's wife with a bouquet of flowers.
Li Peng speaks fluent Russian after having worked in the Chinese embassy in Moscow for several years before he rose to lead his government.
The Russian Government headquarters, the White House, played host to the top level talks between Chinese Premier Li Peng and his Russian counterpart Viktor Chernomyrdin.
They'd come together to talk about improving trade between the two nations which Li Peng felt had fallen to an unacceptably low level.
The agreements signed between various trade ministers will allow for freer travel over the Russian Chinese border.
It's hoped this will help to promote shuttle traders.
SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin)
"We have established a new type of relationship between China and Russia. These are relationships of partnership and strategic cooperation. Our people are united by traditional friendship and our economies complement each other."
SUPER CAPTION: Li Peng, Chinese Premier
It's all part of the Russian government's attempt to balance the growing U-S influence by establishing closer ties with major Asian players like China.
Li Peng is due to fly out of Moscow on Wednesday following a series of closed door meetings.
He is also likely to discuss the Iraqi crisis as both countries are against using U-S air strikes as a means of forcing Saddam Hussein to obey United Nations resolutions on arms inspections.
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