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Mykola Lazarenko China’s Deputy Prime Minister Zhang Dejiang met with Ukraine’s top officials on Oct. 28 to discuss cooperation in steel, automobile and airplane production, and infrastructure.

Zhang Dejiang (right), the deputy prime minister of Communist China, met with President Victor Yushchenko on Oct. 28 and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko one day earlier as part of a visit to Ukraine this week. Ukrainian and Chinese officials discussed ways of boosting economic cooperation in various sectors including steel, automobile production, aviation and infrastructure. Tymoshenko said Ukraine could offer China, a global giant in steel production and consumption, the opportunity to develop new ore mines. The visit and recent efforts by Ukraine to also boost ties with Japan and South Korea reflect the growing importance to Ukraine’s economy of Asia, a region which is expected to drive global growth in future years. Attracting investment from Asia and orders for air planes and steel, the country’s top export, are seen as key to pulling Ukraine out of recession. Official figures indicate that China has invested a mere $30 million into Ukraine since 1991.