(Yicai Global) Nov. 5 -- Russia, a guest of honor at the China International Import Expo, will focus on boosting agricultural and food trade at this year's expo after the two nations reached a key milestone to open up soybean imports to China earlier this year. 

Some 43 Russian food companies, including those that sell honey, meat, dairy products, nuts, and beverages, will participate in this year's expo, according to the website of the Russian Export Center which helps Russian companies to take part in the CIIE.

Cooperation among small and medium-sized companies, and particularly in agricultural trade, will become a new growth driver, Viacheslav Deniskin, regional representative of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, told Yicai Global in an interview. 

In the next three to four years, Russian firms intend to increase their soybean shipments to China to 3.7 million tons per year from about 1 million tons in 2018, according to Deniskin. In July, China lifted its limits on soybean imports from all parts of Russia. The nation also approved more of Russian barley, corn, and rapeseed imports.

With increased brand awareness and new partnerships formed at the expo, Deniskin was hoping for annual trade between the pair to soon reach USD200 billion. Last year, China was Russia's largest trading partner with a bilateral tally of USD107.06 billion, according to data from China's General Administration of Customs.

Visitors to the expo will be able to have a taste of Russia too. Russian chefs will cook Russian fare on-site, Andrey Slepnev, director general of the Russian Export Center, told Yicai Global earlier.

Editor: Tang Shihua, Emmi Laine