In a message to the seminar, Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji said the Chinese government has always paid much attention to the protection of the environment.

It is beneficial for experts, scholars and business people from both sides to discuss on the important issue of economic development and the environment that concerns everyone, noted Zhu.

Wishing the seminar a success, Zhu said he believes that the seminar will push forward Sino-Russian cooperation in this field.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mikhailovich Kasyanov also sent a message saying that the cooperation between parliaments, government institutions, non-governmental organizations and business people of the two countries is an important contribution to bilateral cooperation.

Seminars held in the past have proved that holding meetings between representatives of the two sides are also an effective way of developing regional cooperation, the Russian prime minister said.

The signing of a series of agreements on regional cooperation and the establishment of joint ventures are the results of the seminars, noted Kasyanov.

The political and economic agreements reached between leaders of the two countries have opened great prospects for different localities of the two countries to conduct cooperation in all fields of the economy, and in science and technology, Kasyanov said.

Kasyanov expressed his hope that the seminar will achieve success so as to benefit the two peoples.

Jiang Chunyun, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, and Vladimir Platonov, vice-chairman of the Federal Council of the Federal Assembly of Russia, attended the opening ceremony of the seminar and delivered speeches respectively.

Jiang said the Sino-Russian good-neighborly treaty of friendship and cooperation signed in July between heads of state of the two countries is a strategic and forward-looking document which maps out principles and the direction for furthering bilateral cooperation in various fields.

Jiang also pointed to the sixth regular meeting between prime ministers of the two countries recently, which, in Jiang's words, has further consolidated bilateral friendly cooperation and their strategic cooperative partnership.

Jiang noted that experts, scholars and businessmen attending this seminar can exchange views on the two topics so as to further promote bilateral cooperation in this field.

Platonov said he hopes that the seminar will help solve some problems so as to create conditions for expanding bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

Noting that ecology and economy go side by side in development and prosperity, Platonov pointed out that ecological elements have a greater influence on Russia-China relations.

Platonov said he believes that it is imperative for the two sides to expand cooperation in science, technology, patent technology, and exchanges of expertise in production and scientific research.

Jiang met with Platonov and his delegation before the opening of the seminar.

Experts and scholars from both sides also delivered reports on the two topics, agreeing that the two countries should enhance cooperation in this field.

Some 200 government officials, experts, scholars and business people held panel discussions on Wednesday afternoon to further explore their common interests.

(China Daily 09/20/2001)