Russian region woos Chinese investors

Russia's Primorye Territory will strengthen investment cooperation with China, Governor Vladimir Miklushevsky has said.

The Russian Far East region, including the Primorye Territory which borders northeastern Chinese province of Hei Longjiang and Jilin, welcomes foreign investors mainly from China, Japan and (South) Korea, said the governor in a press conference on Thursday.

Primorye Territory maintains good economic ties and investment cooperation with China, he said, adding there are more than 50 enterprises fully or partially invested by Chinese investors in the region.

Sub-national governments between the two countries have also kept intensive exchanges and enjoyed good economic and trade relations, Miklushevsky told Xinhua.

Currently, there are a series of investment cooperation projects underway in the field of light industry, home appliance and agriculture, Miklushevsky said, citing the Ussuriysk economic and trade cooperation zone as an example.

According to the Russian official, China has been investing heavily in agriculture and bilateral cooperation in this area has huge potential.

Speaking about the upcoming 21th annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum due in January 27-31 in the Far Eastern city of Vladivostok, Miklushevsky said it will be another major international meeting the region will host following the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit last September.

Though the theme of the meeting lies in parliamentary exchanges between its members, Russia's Far East development and investment attraction will be among major economic topics for discussion, he said.

Spain sells 4.5 bln euros of bonds at lower yields

The Spanish Treasury on Thursday raised 4.505 billion euros (6.037 billion U.S. dollars) at lower borrowing costs at its second bond sale of the year.

The figure exceeded its target of 4.500 billion euros.

A total of 2.409 billion euros' two-year bond was sold at an average interest rate of 2.713 percent, below the 3.358-percent level at the last time it was auctioned in December. Its marginal interest rate reached 2.77 percent, down from the 3.39 percent registered last December.

About 1.584 billion euros of bond which will mature in 2018 fetched an average interest rate of 3.770 percent, compared with 3.988 percent at the previous sale, while its marginal interest rate was 3.80 percent, down from 4.24 percent in December.

The remaining 512 million euros will mature in July 2041. These bonds carried an average interest rate of 5.696 percent, also below 5.893 percent last month. Its marginal interest rate was 5.70 percent, falling from 5.93 percent last month.

The Ministry of Economy was optimistic, saying these auctions prove Spain's financial credibility has improved slightly.