China's exports to Russia grow 15.7pc in Sept

BEIJING, Oct 20 (Reuters): China's exports to Russia grew 15.7% in September from a year earlier, the fastest pace in nine months and up from a 10.1% gain a month prior, Chinese customs data showed on Monday, following fresh agreements to expand economic cooperation.

By contrast the data, in yuan terms, showed that imports from Russia fell 9.2% last month from a year earlier, compared with a 1.1% drop in August, following reports Russian exporters were struggling to process payments with Chinese buyers.

In late August, China and Russia signed cooperation agreements in areas such as investment, cross-border cargo transportation and science and technology, during a visit to Moscow by China's second-ranking official Premier Li Qiang.

"Bilateral trade has maintained a momentum of growth," Chinese state media cited Li as telling Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin at the time. "We are confident and also hopeful about further deepening the all-around and mutually beneficial cooperation between our two countries."