Aerial photo taken on May 17, 2021 shows an overview of the Tianwan nuclear power plant in Lianyungang City, east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua)
MOSCOW, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- China-Russia trade has topped 200 billion U.S. dollars for three consecutive years, with China remaining Russia's largest trading partner for 16 years -- a sign of the economic momentum underpinning their deepening ties.
From Russian agricultural products reaching the dining tables of Chinese households to Chinese-made automobiles traveling on streets in Russia, practical cooperation between the two countries continues to deepen, injecting vitality into the growth of bilateral ties.
VIBRANT COOPERATION
Today, China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination is at the highest level in history, setting an example for relations between countries. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said on Wednesday that despite mounting external pressure, Russia-China trade and economic cooperation is gaining strong momentum: mutual trade has increased more than 30-fold over 25 years.
Cooperation in investment, energy, cultural and humanitarian fields is developing steadily. Interregional ties are being consistently strengthened and, most importantly, people-to-people contacts are expanding, Mishustin added.
According to Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui, two-way trade from January to August this year reached 185 billion dollars, up by 28.4 percent year-on-year, and a full-year figure is expected to hit a new all-time high.
"The share of local currency settlement in China-Russia trade has exceeded 99 percent. Cross-border e-commerce volume has surpassed 40 billion dollars, and the platform economy boasts enormous potential. Energy cooperation is advancing steadily. Russia remains a major crude oil supplier to China, with a marked rise in supplies of liquefied natural gas. Dividends from the mutual visa-free policy keep unlocking. Russia has become the second-largest source of foreign tourists to China," Zhang said.
Russian tourists prepare to board a high-speed train to Suifenhe at Mudanjiang Railway Station in Mudanjiang, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 15, 2026. (Photo by Gao Fugui/Xinhua)
Moreover, high-tech manufacturing sectors have become highlights of bilateral cooperation, with expanded areas in artificial intelligence, logistics, finance, energy, science and technology, agriculture and healthcare.
Aisen Nikolayev, head of Russia's Republic of Sakha, told Xinhua that the republic is a key implementer of Russia's "Pivot to the East" strategy and an active participant in Russia-China regional cooperation.
Its cooperation with Chinese provinces and municipalities spans trade, energy, logistics, science and technology, innovation and other areas, with bilateral trade with China surging 52 percent year-on-year in the first five months of 2026.
Dmitry Bakanov, head of Russia's state space corporation Roscosmos, said the cooperation agenda between the two countries covers several topics, including joint work on the lunar mission and the Mars mission.
People watch a prototype of China's Wing Loong II unmanned aircraft displayed at the International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS-2019 in Zhukovsky, Russia, Aug. 27, 2019. (Xinhua/Bai Xueqi)
HEART-TO-HEART BONDS
Beyond growing economic ties, China and Russia are also deepening their friendship through cultural exchanges to foster greater mutual understanding.
China was the Guest of Honor at the 39th Moscow International Book Fair held in September. Under the theme of "Reading China," more than 2,000 titles and nearly 5,000 books were displayed. During the Guest of Honor program, the Chinese side hosted over 40 cultural events, including a China-Russia civilization exchange forum, copyright negotiations, new book launches, and dialogues between writers and scholars.
"Many Russians have begun reading Chinese novels. In particular, numerous online novels have gained great popularity after being translated into Russian. This serves as a direct reflection of the steadily warming relations between China and Russia," said Xie Xiaocheng, director of the International Exhibition Center at China National Publications Import and Export Group.
"Chinese literature delivers a wealth of emotions and adventures all at once," Maria Rudneva, editor-in-chief of Freedom, an imprint of Russia's leading publishing house Eksmo, told Xinhua.
In the eyes of publishers and readers, Chinese works offer more than entertainment; they open a window to Chinese culture and classical Chinese literature for Russian readers, who have shown demand for new Chinese stories.
People visit the exhibition area of China at Moscow International Book Fair in Moscow, Russia, on Sept. 2, 2023. (Photo by Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/Xinhua)
This summer, Moscow hosted its first-ever Wushu Festival, drawing more than 30,000 spectators and roughly 830 athletes from multiple Russian cities.
"Wushu (martial arts) is deeply loved in Russia. I am confident that this festival will serve to further popularize it, drawing more and more people, young and old, into this beautiful art and sport," said Sergey Sanakoev, deputy chairman of the Russian-Chinese Friendship Society.
Close people-to-people exchanges are also reflected in education. At present, Chinese language courses are available at 360 schools across Russia, with more than 100,000 Chinese learners.
Maria Zvereva, a student at the Russian State University for the Humanities, has visited many places across China. In her view, China has achieved outstanding accomplishments in medicine, robotics, rocket manufacturing and other fields.
"While preserving its traditions and history, China has also made tremendous strides in high and new technologies," said Zvereva.
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