Prime Minister Praises Sino-Russian Cooperation as Defense Ties Are Strengthened

Radio Free Europe, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov said after talks in Moscow that included Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan and his Russian counterpart Sergei Ivanov that Bejing and Moscow are laying the groundwork for good future relations, RIA-Novosti reported on 7 September.  
 
“We [China and Russia] have laid a solid foundation for relations of mutual trust, and these relations have good prospects,” Fradkov said, adding of Cao, “Your personal contribution has ensured significant progress in bilateral military-technical cooperation.”  
 
“Vedomosti” the following day quoted anonymous sources close to the purported deal as saying that that Russia will sell 38 military airplanes to China in a deal worth more than $1.5 billion.  
 
In an agreement that “Vedomosti” reported will be signed in Sochi on 9 September, Beijing will buy Ilyushin Il-76 transport aircraft and Il-78 refueling planes. Russia and China held their first-ever joint military exercises last month.