Russian Premier Mikhail Kasyanov arrived in Shanghai yesterday for a visit focused on trade but expected to cover security issues including a possible United States attack on Iraq.
Premier Zhu Rongji flew into Shanghai to welcome his guest ahead of formal meetings today and the signing of banking and technology accords.
An honour guard comprised of the three sections of the PLA - the army, navy and air force - was flown in for the ceremony, which Shanghai government officials said was the first of its kind in the city.
'An intensive exchange of top and high-level visits is going on, political trust is being continuously built, practical co-operation in trade, economics and other fields is rising,' Mr Zhu told the Itar-Tass news agency.
While the US continued to threaten a strike against Iraq, Russia recently signed a long-term co-operation pact with Baghdad.
China also is concerned about the prospect of a move to topple President Saddam Hussein but it has played down its concerns as it tries to appear supportive of the US war on terror.
Russia and China also face domestic security issues - for Moscow in Chechnya and for Beijing in its Muslim region of Xinjiang.
