SHANGHAI, April 17 (Xinhua) -- An important activity of China's Year of Russia, the  St.Petersburg cultural week began on Monday in East China's commercial hub of Shanghai.

Leningrad Military Band from Russia perform in the opening ceremony of St. Petersburg Week, held in Shanghai, April 17, 2006. (Photo: Xinhua)

    It is also the first time that the two cities have jointly staged such an activity after establishing relations 18 years ago.

    On the opening ceremony of the week, a 133-member St.Petersburg troupe presented a splendid performance at the Shanghai Grand Theatre.

    Nearly 300 Russian artists attended the opening ceremony and they will give 14 performances with Russian flavors over the week.

    A Russian royal court finery exhibition began after the opening ceremony, in which more than 40 suits of the royal court clothes from the past 300 years, as well as the periwig, fans and accoutrements, will be on display.

    A St.Petersburg-Shanghai economic forum also opened on Monday in which entrepreneurs from the both cities will discuss Sino-Russian cooperation in investment and economic development. Enditem