Chinese vice premier calls for expanding areas of cooperation with Russia

Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang on Tuesday called for expanding areas of cooperation with Russia to achieve more practical results during a meeting with Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov in Beijing.

Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin, China and Russia have worked together to push for a good development momentum of bilateral investment cooperation.

Noting that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination and the 25th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation, Ding urged both sides to seize the opportunity to deliver on the important common understandings reached by the two heads of state.

He also called on the two sides to leverage the coordination role of the China-Russia Investment Cooperation Committee, advance key projects in a steady manner, expand cooperation areas to achieve more practical results, and continuously inject strong momentum into the development of bilateral relations.

Manturov said Russia is willing to strengthen strategic alignment with China, expand the scope of cooperation, actively address issues of mutual concern, and continually enhance investment cooperation between the two countries.

Chinese vice premier calls for expanding areas of cooperation with Russia

Iran's stock market and related financial instruments resumed trading on Tuesday local time after being shuttered for nearly three months, the country's Securities and Exchange Organization announced.

Iran's securities exchange market has been temporarily closed since February 28, when the U.S.-Israeli war against the country erupted. After an 80-day suspension, the stock market and associated financial instruments trading markets reopened.

Hojatollah Saydi, chair of the Securities and Exchange Organization, said more than 500 companies that were able to submit financial reports were cleared to begin trading on the first day, though the shares of some firms hit by the conflict remain suspended.

More than 40 companies, primarily in the chemical and base metal sectors, have yet to resume trading because of war-related damages.

Citing the lingering effects of the war and rising inflation, Saydi acknowledged the challenging backdrop, but remained optimistic.

"Now situation for economy is complicated because of war effects and also the developing inflation that is higher than last year, of course. But fortunately, companies' financial statements and budgets show that, two thirds of them, conditions are good. So, I'm very optimistic about the market, and I hope that we can have a good market, an efficient market, and also a fruitful market, with higher return for investors and also financial institutions," he said.

Iran reopens stock market after 80-day suspension since war erupts