Russian businesses are welcome to invest in northeast China where the two countries share traditional economic ties, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao told Russian media prior to his visit to Russia.

Wen left Beijing on Tuesday for Kyrgyzstan and Russia. He toldthe Interfax News Agency in Beijing on Sept. 12 that Russian businesses could bring in their advanced technologies, personnel with expertise and good quality services to help revitalize northeastern China.

Wen said that Russian enterprises may join in local industrialreforms through various means and are especially welcome to invest in the construction of infrastructures such as communications, roads and power grid.

"Good infrastructure facilities are not only beneficial to northeast China but also to Sino-Russia cooperation," Wen said.

With abundant natural resources, northeast China was the country's old industrial base and played a crucial role in boosting China's economic development. Currently, about one-third of the country's cash crop, two-fifths of its petroleum, half of its timber and more than one-quarter of its machinery were generated from the northeast area.

To revitalize the old industrial base, Wen encouraged enterprises of both countries to tap the resources.

Wen also expressed thanks to the former Soviet Union government and its people for supporting China's economic development. "We won't forget this period of history," he said.