Chinese and Russian companies on Sunday inked a series of contracts ranging from agriculture to car-making, on the sidelines of an international economic forum. The 19 contracts are valued at about 2 billion U.S. dollars.

The opposition group Other Russia has begun its latest demonstration in Moscow. Opposition leaders Garry Kasparov and Eduard Limonov are among the estimated 1,000 participants, RFE/RL's Russian Service reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin used an address at an international economic forum in St. Petersburg yesterday to call for a revolution in world economic relations. Putin said current institutions created by the West were "archaic, undemocratic, and inflexible."

Russia will hold WTO entry talks with the United States and the European Union at an international economic forum in St. Petersburg, Russia's deputy economics minister said Saturday.

More than 6,000 politicians and business managers from around the world have gathered in St. Petersburg for the Russian city's 11th annual international economic forum.

The opposition group Other Russia is due to hold a March of Dissent demonstration in St. Petersburg on June 9 to coincide with an international economic forum in the city.