BEIJING, May 08, 2025 — The China-Russia east-route natural gas pipeline, spanning 3,000 km in Russia and 5,111 km in China, began operations in December of the previous year, providing gas to approximately 450 million people along its path.

While the natural gas pipeline exemplifies energy cooperation, the relationship between China and Russia extends significantly beyond this project.

In 2024, bilateral trade reached $244.8 billion, solidifying China’s position as Russia’s largest trading partner for the 15th consecutive year. Furthermore, the two countries’ leaders have engaged in over 40 meetings on various occasions throughout the years.

During a meeting in Moscow on Thursday, Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that China and Russia have consistently strengthened political trust and strategic coordination, maintained close collaboration on international issues, and contributed crucial stability and positive energy to a volatile world in the face of unprecedented global shifts.

Xi’s state visit to Russia commenced on Wednesday, coinciding with celebrations commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory in the Great Patriotic War.

A pillar of stability

Xi urged China and Russia to firmly protect their own interests and those of the vast number of developing nations against unilateralism, power politics, and bullying tactics.

He advocated for an equitable and well-ordered multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, highlighting these as essential choices for mutual success and the advancement of both countries’ development and revitalization.

Xi stated that China will collaborate with Russia to fulfill their shared responsibility as major global powers and permanent members of the UN Security Council.

Feng Shaolei, Director of the Center for Russian Studies at East China Normal University in Shanghai, noted that President Xi’s visit, like his previous ones, aims to reinforce the enduring friendship and strategic partnership between the two countries, thereby promoting peace and stability in the region and globally.

Feng underscored that both nations champion an independent and autonomous approach to managing domestic and foreign affairs, asserting that the China-Russia relationship provides stability amid global changes.

Wang Yong, a professor at Peking University’s School of International Studies, emphasized the critical juncture the world faces, suggesting that China and Russia should enhance cooperation within multilateral frameworks to steer global governance in the right direction and counteract unilateralism and bullying.

Wang added that for China and Russia, cooperating to build a community with a shared future for mankind and contributing stability and positive energy to the international community is more beneficial and meaningful than engaging in geopolitics.

Resilient ties

President Xi highlighted the long-standing good-neighborly friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation as defining characteristics of bilateral ties, noting that China-Russia relations have grown more confident, stable, and resilient in the new era. Putin echoed this, stating that the relationship is based on mutual respect and equality and is unaffected by external factors.

The two presidents oversaw the signing and exchange of over 20 bilateral cooperation agreements on Thursday, covering areas such as global strategic stability, upholding international law, investment protection, the digital economy, quarantine measures, and film cooperation.

Professor Feng emphasized that practical cooperation remains the strongest driver of the China-Russia partnership. While traditional sectors like energy, aerospace, and infrastructure remain central, the two countries are expanding collaboration into emerging fields such as the digital economy, biomedicine, and green development.

Cultural and people-to-people exchanges have also increased. In 2023, the two leaders designated 2024 and 2025 as the China-Russia Years of Culture, initiating hundreds of exchange programs including exhibitions, film screenings, and academic collaborations.

Furthermore, both sides have made significant progress in educational cooperation. Over 200 Russian universities now offer Chinese language courses, with approximately 90,000 students studying the language. Meanwhile, over 40,000 Chinese students are studying in Russia.

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