Article: Russia, China seek greater international clout

China and Russia sought greater international clout at a summit Tuesday, with China promising $10 billion in loans to Central Asian countries and Russia challenging the U.S. dollar's dominance as a global reserve currency.

Chinese leader Hu Jintao said China will offer the loans to several countries, including Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, to help them through the global financial crisis.

The move, announced at the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, adds muscle to China's role in the group, which Russia and China use to counter Western influence in resource-rich, strategically placed Central Asia.

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