Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev (L) joins in an online chat with Internet users from across China via Xinhuanet.com, the official website of Xinhua News Agency, in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 22, 2013. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)

BEIJING, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who is on a two-day official visit to China, said Tuesday his country welcomes more Chinese investment in the Russian Far East and promised Russia would protect foreign investors.

"Russia and China have already become partners in the Russian Far East," Medvedev said during an online chat with netizens from across China via Xinhuanet.com, the official website of Xinhua.

He said Chinese companies had begun developing the Russian Far East and both sides had many joint projects. Large-sized Chinese companies mainly invest in such sectors as energy, chemicals and mining, while medium- and small-sized companies largely did business in agriculture and other sectors, he said.

Medvedev promised Russia would protect all foreign investors, including those from China. "We won't let foreign investors feel wronged. Otherwise, no one will come to the country to invest. We wouldn't like to see such things happening," he said.

Over the eight year period ending in 2012, direct foreign investment by Chinese companies in Russia increased 40 times to reach 4.9 billion U.S. dollars. In the first seven months of this year, the figure rose by another 250 million U.S. dollars, according to Tang Hua, an official with the National Development and Reform Commission, China's top economic planning body.

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