ITAR-TASS news agency published a slew of reports on Sept 17, focusing on the China-Russia pragmatic cooperation, less than two hours after the 24th regular meeting of the Chinese premier and Russian prime minister.

Quoting Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, a report said that China and Russia decided to double the value of bilateral trade by 2024 via strengthened cooperation in energy, industry, high technology, and agriculture.

Another report highlighted approximately 20 Russia-China cooperation documents signed after the meeting, described by Medvedev as extremely significant, especially a memorandum on China's Ministry of Commerce and Russia's Far Eastern Development Agency to establish investment agencies for each other.

Again quoting Medvedev, the report said that China-Russia cooperation has already progressed to a new phase. And Medvedev extended his appreciation to Premier Li for China's friendly and constructive efforts made along the way.

Premier Li is making the state visit in a bid to deepen China-Russia pragmatic cooperation and benefit people of both sides. Interviewed by ITAR-TASS prior to his visit, the Premier said that both parties will propel China-Russia cooperation to scale new heights and achieve sustainable development.

As reported by ITAR-TASS, Medvedev especially stressed cooperation in technology and aviation. He also referred to a joint declaration signed by China's Ministry of Commerce and the Economic Development Ministry of the Russian Federation on mapping out the high-quality development of trades on goods and services by 2024.

The joint declaration will formulate a detailed plan to enable the China-Russia trade value to double in five years.

China has been the most important trade partner of Russia for nine years. The value of China-Russia trade went beyond $100 trillion in 2018 for the very first time, up 27.1 percent year-on-year.

Speaking of pragmatic cooperation, Premier Li said that 2018 witnessed the overall opening of China‘s manufacturing sector. Chemical engineering conglomerates from Germany and the US already are engaged in solely invested integrated refining and chemical projects.

China welcomes Russia and all countries willing to invest in integrated refining and chemical projects in China.

During Premier Li's visit, Reuters reported that Vnesheconom Bank (VEB) signed a cooperation document with the China Development Bank on jointly supporting natural gas projects in the Far East region.

Against the backdrop of challenges faced everywhere, the stable and sustainable China-Russia cooperation will exert a positive influence on China-Russia ties, regional development, all the way up to upholding a stable international environment, ITAR-TASS said, quoting Premier Li.