Russian-Chinese trade grew 44.3% year-on-year in 2007 to a record $48.16 billion, the Russian trade mission in China said on Thursday, citing China`s customs statistics.

Russian exports to China grew 12.1% to $19.67 billion while Chinese exports to Russia went up 79.9% to $28.48 billion, registering a trade surplus in favor of China for the first time in bilateral trade relations, the trade mission said.

In 2006, Russia-China trade amounted to about $28.6 billion, according to Russia`s statistics.

Russia and China earlier set a joint goal of increasing bilateral trade to $60 billion and possibly to $80 billion by 2010.
sections: Economics, World News