A major state-owned Chinese construction company is prepared to help expand the public rail and road networks in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, the mayors officeannounced Thursday.Novosibirsk Mayor Maxim Kudryavtsev said in a statement that his administration met with representatives from the China Railway Tunnel Group, a subsidiary of the government-owned China Railway Group.The sides discussed the design and extension of the Novosibirsk metro line, the construction of a new runway at Tolmachevo Airport, as well as the construction of the Southern Transit [highway project].Kudryavtsev said Novosibirsk would be willing to work with CRTG if they offer a competitive price and quality.If a construction deal is approved, the Novosibirsk city administration said it would be CRTGs first time working on a project in Russia.Beijing and Moscow have grown closer since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, with trade between the two countries surging to record highs last year.Russian President Vladimir Putin visited China in May on his first trip abroad after re-election and met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping again this month at a regional summit in Kazakhstan.