Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing informed Russian Ambassador to China Sergey Razov in Beijing Saturday afternoon of the situation with the Songhua River's water pollution and measures taken by the Chinese government to tackle the issue.
   
The Songhua River in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, suffered major water pollution as a result of a blast that had occurred in the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) Jilin Petrochemical company on November 13. The polluted water in Songhua River is expected to flow into the Heilongjiang River (also called Amur River in Russia) on the Sino-Russian border.
   
Li Zhaoxing, on behalf of the Chinese government, expressed his regret over the possible harms to be done to the Russian people by the major environmental pollution accident, saying China fully understands and attaches great importance to the concerns of the Russian side, and that Chinese leaders have time and again made important directions to tackle the problem
   
After the water pollution incident occurred, China has repeatedly informed its neighbor of the details of the pollution incident, including various lab test results, such as the pollutant's species and density and the location of polluted stretches.
   
The two sides have agreed to open up a hotline between environmental departments for still better contacts and communication over the water pollution problem, and China informs Russia of the latest developments daily, the Chinese foreign minister said.
   
Li said China has blocked the discharging site of the pollutants into the river, redoubled the downward flow of the upstream hydropower stations and sped up the diluent speed in an effort to alleviate the impact of the water pollution.
   
China will cope with this incident conscientiously and responsibly, and go on informing the Russian side of the relevant information periodically and at all times, Li said, acknowledging that China is still in the process of dealing with the pollution accident, and is ready to provide assistance and cooperation to Russia, if there is a need from the Russian side.
   
The relevant departments of both nations would keep in close touch on this issue, he said. China hopes and is convinced that the two sides would enhance cooperation and work jointly to overcome the impacts incurred by the disaster, in the spirit of the strategic partnership of cooperation.
   
Razov voiced his appreciation for China's briefing, saying that he will report to the top Russian leadership as soon as possible. On behalf of the Russian government and people, he also expressed sympathy and extended regards over the those injured and the families of those killed in the blast and those affected from the water pollution incident of the Songhua River.
   
Razov noted that the Russian central and local governments are very concerned about the impacts of the disaster.
   
The disaster is the common challenge for both Russia and China, and both sides should treat and deal with this issue from the strategic point of view of cooperation, strengthen communication and cooperation, jointly take effective measures, so as to erase the impacts of the disaster, the ambassador said. Russia thanks China for its willingness to provide coordination in this regard.

(Xinhua News Agency November 27, 2005)