Chinese leader Hu Jintao arrived in Moscow Monday for an official visit in which he and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to try to look for ways to add economic substance to the countries' burgeoning political and military ties. Trade between the economically thriving neighbors is far outstripped by China's commercial ties to the United States, Japan and South Korea, the Associated Press reported. Overall bilateral trade grew 43 percent last year, according to Russian figures, but most of that growth was in favor of China. Its exports to Russia rose 79 percent, against 21-percent growth for Russian exports to China. Russian and Chinese officials said the nuclear bids of Iran and North Korea and cooperation in the fight against terror will also be on the agenda of Hu's visit.
