MOSCOW and Beijing will act jointly to prevent crimes and illegal business activities perpetrated by the increasing number of Chinese and Russians travelling to and staying in the neighbouring countries.
In an interview, the Russian ambassador to China, Igor Rogachev, also denied speculation that Moscow recently had sold new weapons to its erstwhile communist ally.
The ambassador, who worked in China during the Cultural Revolution, said he was optimistic about the development in RussianChinese relations.
He said that in 1993, there had been 2.5 million crossings of Chinese into Russia, and 1.5 million crossings of Russians going the other way.
''Neither side had anticipated the massive flow,'' Mr Rogachev said.
''Both Russian and Chinese authorities have detected problems of law and order. Delegations have been exchanged on the subject, and new ways of containing crimes will be spelt out soon.'' He said among the Chinese who stayed in Russia were workers on legitimate contracts for building houses, hotels or highways, but he hinted that some Chinese travellers had overstayed.
A major problem was ''speculators'', or Chinese private-entrepreneur wheelers and dealers who did not abide by commercial and other business codes in the country.