Zhang Lijun, vice director of China's State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), met on Monday night with the Russian Delegation of Khabarovsk Environmental Protection Bureau to discuss how they would deal with the pollution of the Songhua River that runs between the two countries.

The Songhua River becomes the Heilongjiang River, which runs along the border between China and Russia.

The meeting focused on the impact that the polluted Songhua River will have on the Heilongjiang River, and how China and Russia could cooperate to monitor and test the water quality of the river.

Zhang, once again, conveyed his apologies on behalf of the Chinese government for the potentially negative impact that the pollution will have on Russia.

Zhang presented the Russian delegation with detailed information on the level of pollution, the type of pollutants involved, and the density and location of the pollution belt.

V. V. Dardiuk, leading the Russian delegation, expressed his gratitude for China's reports and discussed how Russia was planning to deal with the situation.

He said Khabarovsk authorities have been cooperating for four years with their Heilongjiang Province counterparts, monitoring and testing the water quality. He believes that the problem can be resolved through mutual efforts.

The delegation arrived in Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang, on Monday morning.

(Xinhua News Agency November 29, 2005)