Russia's leading research centres have signed a cooperation agreement with one of China's largest research centre at Wuxi, Jiangsu Province.

"The agreements will allow us to introduce Russian technologies at Chinese industrial enterprises on a commercial basis with the help of relevant licences," deputy director general of the Technopol-Moscow research and production association, Anatoly Kupriyanov, told Itar-Tass on Wednesday.

In his words, a Chinese delegation was in Russia for a week to establish direct contacts with major research and production centres, such as the Krylov Research Institute, the Khrunichev Centre, the Institute of Glass.

The KamAZ automobile plant also signed an agreement with Wuxi.

Kupriyanov believes that that Russia should study the experience of the Shanghai economic zone and its major centre Wuxi.

"Tax benefits for high-tech industrial projects make it possible to attract technologies and foreign investments into Wuxi," he said.

The Shanghai region's foreign trade turnover in 2000 alone exceeded 54 billion U.S. dollars and continues to grow by 30-40 percent a year, with about one-third of Shanghai's gross regional product generated by high technologies.

The head of the Chinese delegation, Wuxi Deputy Mayor Tan Xuemin said he was satisfied with the results of the visit, adding, "Chinese enterprises pay great significance to cooperation with Russian research and production associations, especially in such fields as shipbuilding, aviation and biotechnologies."

Source: Itar-Tass