Businessmen and politicians gathered in Beijing and Shanghai for productive receptions.

Last week, Russian businessmen, governors and ministers took part in RosBusinessConsulting's (RBC) 14th international business conference in Shanghai and the 3rd Russian-Chinese investment forum, organized by the Russian Economy Ministry in Beijing, where they put into practice the notion that Russians and Chinese are "brother" nations - if not forever, then at least for a year. While in China, they were especially successful in such deals as the purchase of Rolex-look-alike watches sold by the representatives of the brother nation on every corner.

This time around, RBC's traditional business conference was held as part of the year of Russia in China. The agency's General Director Yury Rovensky came to meet delegates at the Shanghai airport with a socialist red bunting banner and balloons. Those arriving included Central Bank Deputy Chairwoman Tatiana Paramonova; State Duma deputies Sergei Baburin and Sergei Bgazyev; Federation Council members Vladimir Gusev, Dmitry Mezentsev, and Igor Rogachyov; political analyst Igor Bunin; MICEX President Alexander Potyomkin; Deputy Chairman of the State Duma's Property Consultation and Expert Council Grigory Tomchin; lawyer Natalya Barshchevskaya; Mirozdanie President Igor Branovitsky; singer Anita Tsoi; YUKOS Board or Directors Chairman Viktor Gerashchenko; Pio Global Asset Management General Director Andrei Uspensky, and other outstanding heroes of capitalist labor. Rovensky, dressed as a Chinese mandarin, handed a piece of candy to each of the conference participants who have made it to China.

The first plenary meeting was scheduled for the following morning, but there was still a gala dinner and a Russian pop-rock band Mumiy Troll concert arranged for that night. The band was going to present a special program, Salonnye Vstrechi (Parlor Nights). While lead singer Ilya Lagutenko and other musicians were getting ready for their performance, a Chinese group was warming up the crowd. "Can you imagine, I walk into the restroom, and I see a six-legged dragon drinking water from three sinks at the same time," Otkritie Investment Group General Director Vadim Belyayev recounted eagerly. "So I though that I was hallucinating and it was time to call a doctor." Several minutes later, this dragon was dancing fervently on stage, which alleviated Belyayev's health-related concerns. Next up, a girl came onto the stage, dressed in an outfit, which was better suited for sadomasochistic games than the innocent card and handkerchief tricks she was showing. "A nice-looking girl," former Russian Plenipotentiary Envoy to China Igor Rogachyov, who sat to the left of Ms. Paramonova, commented on the young magician. "The only thing is, their legs are so-so." Meanwhile, with the help of a translator the young lady called someone from the audience to join her on stage. People started to shout that it should be Mr. Rovensky, as he was the one who had brought them all there. However, the RBC General Director was so involved in talking to guests at remote tables, that Ms. Tsoi delegated herself to salvage the awkward situation. She waved her handkerchief obediently in the air. This distracted visitors from a knack IFC Metropol General Director Mikhail Slipenchuk had taught those around him. "When you raise a toast and clink glasses, you have to be looking your companions straight in the eyes, - otherwise, you're doomed to fail miserably in your sex life for three years," Mr. Slipenchuk assured everyone. "So they say," he added. Having tried this method on himself and those around him, Norilsk Nickel Vice President Vladimir Engelsberg exclaimed, "This is extremely difficult - it takes so much work to look everyone in the eyes!"

After apathetic dancing to Mumiy Troll songs, conference participants got back to the hotel. As they were still fighting jet lag, Russians moved from bar to bar in small groups. First, the bar on Grand Hyatt Shanghai's 53rd floor, then the bar on the 87th floor, and then the one in the hotel's lobby on the 54th. Next morning, those who made it to the conference for the early morning session, were really excited about a promotion organized by one of Shanghai's massage parlors. Next to the conference hall door, masseuses gave neck, head and shoulder massages to anyone who so wished. A report by Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov was supposed to be the main attraction of this conference day. The moment he finally arrived to the Grand Hyatt's conference hall, the Media and Business round-table discussion was quickly wrapped up. Finans. magazine editor-in-chief Oleg Anisimov was interrupted half-way through the phrase, "If the next Russian President is a strong-willed person, we will have freedom of speech." Participants did not have the chance hear the rest of the story to find out what Mr. Anisimov really meant by that, because everyone went to greet Mr. Zhukov.

Meanwhile, Mr. Zhukov stopped by a coffee machine, poured himself some and started to stir sugar, making a clanking sound with his spoon against the cup. In his report on the current progress with the Year of Russia in China, he communicated quite obtrusively the idea that trade between China and Russia would double to around $60bn by 2010. "Tomorrow, almost all cabinet members and government agency chiefs will gather together in Beijing. Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov will also attend. We have even cancelled a regular government meeting because of this," Mr. Zhukov pointed out, painting colorful prospects of the reception that would follow the meeting, and departed for dinner at the Russian consulate. The RBC conference thus came to a close, and the following morning its participants headed to Beijing, where a reception was to be thrown in honor of the Russian-Chinese investment forum held under the auspices of the Russian Economy Ministry.

In one of the halls of the China World Trade Center, a stage was set up, on which German Gref, Anita Tsoi, and folk musicians were to perform. It was also here that tall round tables were set up. "They look very much like those, which used to fill Soviet bars," Barkli chief executive Leonid Kazinets exclaimed joyously. "Only I thought this would be a normal reception, but it's some odd buffet-style cocktail party." Despaired, Mr. Kazinets went shopping at boutiques in the same building.

Meanwhile, in the hall next door called VIP2, Mr. Gref organized a dinner party for Chechen President Alu Alkhanov, Kaliningrad region Governor Georgy Boos, and his colleagues from Tver and Nizhny Novgorod Dmitry Zelenin and Valery Shantsev, Plenipotentiary Presidential Envoy to the Southern Federal District Dmitry Kozak, as well as representatives of major Chinese businesses headed by China's Commerce Minister Bo Xilai. The much-anticipated Mr. Fradkov did not turn up. However, in this hall, there were also chairs, not only tables. Nevertheless, this did not help make the event any jollier: Mr. Gref announced the closed event as not a dinner, but a meeting, and said that the conversations at the tables related exclusively to possible investment opportunities. When an unfamiliar young lady happened in on the meeting arm-in-arm with the All-Russian Exhibition Center General Director Magomed Musayev, the faces of the participants of this dinner/meeting lit up. "Please, sit down next to us!" cried several governors at once. These shouts drew the attention of security, and the young lady was asked to leave at once.

Finally, Mr. Gref decided to go to the hall where other guests were treating themselves to appetizers. Holding a glass of white wine, Mr. Gref rose to the stage, trying to look relaxed. It did not look convincing. "I am grateful to our Chinese partners for their help in organizing this reception," Mr. Gref announced. "Just look at it, it seems to be paying off!" Mario restaurant owner Tatyana Kurbatskaya pointed out amiably. Mr. Gref reiterated that the Year of Russia in China was coming to an end, and the Year of China in Russia was just about to begin. "This is why our forum is as relevant as ever," he concluded and withdrew from the stage. Mr. Baburin immediately rushed towards the Economy Minister and handed him a microscopic volume of Fyodor Dostoevsky's works. "I only hope it isn't "The Idiot," Mr. Tomchin smirked.

Mr. Gref closed the meeting with dessert, and left to get a good night's rest. Mr. Kozak, on the other hand, decided to take a sightseeing tour of Beijing at night. Mr. Alkhanov and company, as well as Mr. Zelenin by himself headed in the same direction. Other forum participants preferred to take a tour of Beijing on the following day - instead of going to meetings. Meanwhile, RBC's delegates were already on their way back to Shanghai to spend the last day shopping. Everyone succeeded at that. "I bought a half a kilo of Rolexes!" boasted AG Asset Management President Albert Gavrikov. "I'll have something to give to my friends as presents." "Some actually found Breitlings. And they looked very much like the real thing!" others bragged in reply.