MOSCOW -- China Construction Bank (CCB) said on Monday that its first representative office in Russia has opened in Moscow.

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During the office inauguration held here on Monday, CCB president Zhang Jianguo said this is CCB's first agency in Russia and the neighboring CIS countries, signaling CCB's latest important move to enlarge its overseas service network.

The establishment of the Moscow office would deepen CCB's business ties with Russian financial institutions and facilitate its services to Russian and Chinese clients, said Zhang.

He added the bank is expected to play an effective role in promoting Sino-Russian economic cooperation.

Chinese embassy officials, Russian Central Bank deputy chairman Viktor Melnikov and about 200 Russian guests attended the opening ceremony.