ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — China and Russia pledged on Sept 16 to bolster relations and further develop their comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.

Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Maxim Akimov made the pledge when co-chairing the 23rd session of the committee for regular meetings between Chinese and Russian heads of government ahead of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

Addressing the session, Hu recalled the successful meeting between the Chinese and Russian heads of state in Moscow in June when they jointly elevated bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era, which specifies a direction for their pragmatic cooperation across various fields.

China is ready to work together with the Russian side to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and realize the target of $200 billion of bilateral trade, Hu said.

In particular, he underlined that the two countries are expected to focus on the development of their cooperation on soybeans as a new source of economic growth and to strengthen ties in aerospace, science and technology, transportation and finance.

Echoing Hu's remarks, Akimov hailed the good momentum in Russia-China bilateral trade in the first half of this year, which reached $100 billion last year, adding that the two countries have made positive progress in cooperation in agriculture and other fields.

The Russian side will work with their Chinese partners to complete the key tasks set by the two heads of state and boost the continuous development of ties, he said.

Hu and Akimov also held a small-scale meeting and compared notes on issues of common concern prior to the session.