The US topped the medals table in Athens
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Russia and China plan to pool their knowledge in a bid to knock the USA off the top of the Olympic medals table.
The nations' Olympic committees made a pact with a view to achieving better results at the 2008 Beijing Games.
Russian Olympic Committee chief Leonid Tyagachev insisted a united front was the only way to break US supremacy.
He said: "To beat America we need to unite our efforts and knowledge... to achieve better results in swimming and track and field, where they're strong."
The United States topped the medals table at last year's Athens Olympics with 35 golds and an overall tally of 103.
China was second with 32 golds and 63 medals in total, while Russia had 27 and 92.
Tyagachev visited China earlier this month to meet sports officials, and both sides agreed they had something to offer each other.
"In many sports we have to learn [from China], while they dream of learning from us in those sports where they are behind," said Tyagachev.
"That is why our union and contact is essential."
Tyagachev said the two countries could co-operate in training athletes, as well as sharing advances in sports equipment and medical care.
MMIX
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