China on Thursday launched an official website to mark the upcoming Year of Russia in China and next year's Year of China in Russia.

The website, "www.2006rus.com", aims to boost the friendship between China and Russia and promote understanding between the two peoples, in a bid to push forward the China-Russia strategic and cooperative partnership, according to its operators, Xinhua News Agency and Xinhua Website.

During the Year of Russia in China, the website will cover all exchanges between the two countries in politics, trade, culture, education, health, sports, media, science and technology and military issues.

Written in both Chinese and Russian, the website will contain a dozen programs including latest news, important activities, authoritative interviews, news photographs, video programs, netizen discussions, on-line researches, media comments and overseas feedbacks.

In July 2005, Chinese President Hu Jintao and Russian President Vladimir Putin jointly announced that the Year of Russia would be held in 2006 in China and the Year of China would be held in 2007 in Russia.

The "national year" activities represent an important advance in Sino-Russian relations, which will further the development of bilateral relations, said Hu in a New Year message to Putin on Dec. 31 of 2005.

The Chinese government attaches great importance to holding the "national year" activities and has set up an organizing committee, which is chaired by Vice Premier Wu Yi as well as State Councilors Tang Jiaxuan and Chen Zhili.

Putin will pay a state visit to China from March 21 to 22 at the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao. He will attend the opening ceremony of the Year of Russia and a Sino-Russian business summit forum.

The two countries will hold about 200 activities of various kinds for the Year of Russia in China this year, according to Li Hui, assistant foreign minister, at a press conference on Thursday.

The opening ceremony of the Year of Russia is to be held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Putin and Chinese President Hu Jintao will attend the opening ceremony, said Li.

Other activities marking the occasion include economic and business summits, national exhibitions, Russian culture week, investment promotion week and a legislature round-table meeting.