China: Russian city lease reports groundless

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-09-24 22:34

China has rejected Russian media reports which said the Far East Russian city of Vladivostok would lease part of it to China.

Such reports were absolutely groundless, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu on Thursday.

The reports said that Russian experts have proposed to lease two districts and a bay of Vladivostok to China for 75 years in a bid to attract Chinese investment.

"The development of Russia's Far East and the Siberian region is Russia's own business," Jiang said.

Chinese and Russian presidents have approved a cooperation program between China's northeastern region and Russia's Far East and the East Siberian region.

"China will carry out mutual beneficial cooperation with Russia, which will be in accordance with the agreement and strictly follow existing bilateral agreements and laws of the two countries," she said.