Wednesday, February 22 2006 11:15 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Beijing: Ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to China next month, Beijing has signed an agreement with Moscow to jointly monitor cross-border rivers to ensure water quality, the state media reported today (Feb 22 2006).

The water bodies under joint surveillance include Heilong, Wusuli, Erguna and Suifen rivers and Xingkai Lake.

"The agreement marks a substantive step in environmental protection and co-operation between China and Russia," minister of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), Zhou Shengxian said.

A chemical spill into Songhua River, the biggest tributary of Heilong River, threatened water security for both Chinese and Russians residents in November last year. To prevent recurrence of such accidents, experts from the two countries will regularly exchange information and work together.

Zhou and Yuri Trutnev, Russian minister of natural resources, also agreed to work out plans to deal with emergencies according to the agreement reached here yesterday.

Trutnev said China should consider setting up a mechanism to punish enterprises responsible for environmental crises.

"I hope monitoring cross-border rivers is just a beginning of the two countries' co-operation on environmental protection," Zhou said.

"China and Russia need to jointly develop comprehensive environmental protection," he added.