Characteristic Relations for Quantum Matrices

General algebraic properties of the algebras of vector fields over quantum linear groups $GL_q(N)$ and $SL_q(N)$ are studied. These quantum algebras appears to be quite similar to the classical matrix algebra. In particular, quantum analogues of the characteristic polynomial and characteristic identity are obtained for them. The $q$-analogues of the Newton relations connecting two different generating sets of central elements of these algebras (the determinant-like and the trace-like ones) are derived. This allows one to express the $q$-determinant of quantized vector fields in terms of their $q$-traces.