Russia, China approve Northern Sea Route sub-commission to be co-chaired by Rosatom chief

MOSCOW. Aug 23 (Interfax) - Russia and China have signed a protocol to an intergovernmental agreement which sets up a sub-commission on cooperation on the Northern Sea Route (NSR); the protocol has been published on the official website of legal information.

The sub-commission will be co-chaired by Russian state corporation Rosatom's general director and the Chinese transport minister.

These positions are currently held by Alexei Likhachev and Li Xiaopeng, respectively.

The sub-commission will operate within the framework of a Russian-Chinese intergovernmental commission which prepares meetings between the heads of government.

It will meet at least once a year, in Russia and in China alternately, the protocol said.

Plans to create the sub-commission were announced at an EXPO Russian-Chinese exhibition in Harbin in May.