Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev and Vice Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Zhang Guoqing co-chaired the sixth meeting of the Russia-China Intergovernmental Commission for Cooperation and Development of the Far East of the Russian Federation and the Northeast of the People’s Republic of China
The sixth meeting of the Russia-China Intergovernmental Commission for Cooperation and Development of the Far East of the Russian Federation and the Northeast of the People’s Republic of China
Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev attended the sixth meeting of the Russia-China Intergovernmental Commission for Cooperation and Development of the Far East of the Russian Federation and the Northeast of the People’s Republic of China
Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev and Vice Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Zhang Guoqing co-chaired the sixth meeting of the Russia-China Intergovernmental Commission for Cooperation and Development of the Far East of the Russian Federation and the Northeast of the People’s Republic of China
Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev and Vice Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Zhang Guoqing co-chaired the sixth meeting of the Russia-China Intergovernmental Commission for Cooperation and Development of the Far East of the Russian Federation and the Northeast of the People’s Republic of China
Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev and Vice Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Zhang Guoqing co-chaired the sixth meeting of the Russia-China Intergovernmental Commission for Cooperation and Development of the Far East of the Russian Federation and the Northeast of the People’s Republic of China
Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev and Vice Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Zhang Guoqing co-chaired the sixth meeting of the Russia-China Intergovernmental Commission for Cooperation and Development of the Far East of the Russian Federation and the Northeast of the People’s Republic of China
Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev and Vice Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Zhang Guoqing co-chaired the sixth meeting of the Russia-China Intergovernmental Commission for Cooperation and Development of the Far East of the Russian Federation and the Northeast of the People’s Republic of China. Established with the view to enhancing practical cooperation and promoting coordinated efforts by the two countries in terms of their region-to-region ties, the commission held its latest meeting in Harbin.
“Russia and China have forged a relationship of friendship and partnership, which are based on mutual respect and trust between two major powers. Despite all the global instability in today’s world, our bilateral trade and economic ties have been following an upward trajectory, which contributes to the steady economic development of both countries. Over the past eight years, trade between Russia’s Far East and China increased by a factor of more than 2.5 to exceed 1.7 trillion roubles in 2025,” Yury Trutnev said in his opening remarks.
Zhang Guoqing took the floor during the plenary session to say that the Russia-China comprehensive strategic partnership in a new era has been following a steady and robust development trajectory under the leadership of the two heads of state: “Our relations are moving towards more mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, while exemplifying the way two major neighbouring powers should work together for greater stability and certainty in a turbulent world.”
“There has been a proactive push to reinforce trade and economic ties between Russia’s Far East and China, the macro region’s key partner in foreign trade and investment. The fact that we share a border stretching over 4,000 kilometres and an established transport and logistics infrastructure facilitates these efforts. Priority tracks include deepening cooperation in manufacturing, launching new investment projects by relying on the mechanisms offered by international priority development territories, upgrading border infrastructure, carrying out a joint project on Bolshoi Ussuriysky Island in the Khabarovsk Territory, and expanding cooperation in technology by using the opportunities offered by the innovative science and technology centre on Russky Island in the Primorye Territory,” Minister for the Development of the Far East Alexei Chekunov said.
The meeting’s agenda included expanding trade and economic ties. “We continued our effort to streamline and perfect preferential frameworks in the Far East with the view to ensuring that that our Chinese partners benefit from the most business-friendly, advantageous and safe economic environment. The Russian Government has devised a new mechanism in the form of international priority development territories, which is designed to facilitate joint projects based on an international treaty. We exchanged views on this topic,” Yury Trutnev pointed out.
The participants also discussed technology cooperation. In keeping with President Vladimir Putin’s instructions, an innovative science and technology centre is being created on Russky Island. It is expected to host research and development facilities in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, biomedicine, artificial intelligence and big data, industrial and mobile robotics and unmanned aerial vehicles. Yury Trutnev said he believed that this centre could emerge as a major platform for promoting advanced solutions and the sharing of best practices in science and technology.
The commission also discussed cooperation in transport and logistics with tourism mentioned among the avenues for cooperation. The two sides expressed their readiness to deepen cultural cooperation between Russia’s Far East and China’s northeast by encouraging the participation of their leading performers and creative teams in their respective international cultural events, as well as offering support to more Russian and Chinese cities within the Russia-China Culture and Art Fair.
Heads of the Far Eastern regions of Russia took the floor during the commission meeting.
Governor of the Primorye Territory Oleg Kozhemyako said that his region’s foreign trade increased by 15 percent in 2025 to $8 billion. Border crossings for trading with China play an important role in this cooperation. Last year, shipments through vehicle checkpoints increased by 29 percent to over 3.3 million tonnes. Investment cooperation has also enjoyed positive momentum. As of the start of 2026, Chinese businesses invested 6.2 billion roubles, which amounts to over 50 percent of all foreign investment in the region. There are 66 projects underway in Primorye involving Chinese investors as part of priority development territories and the Free Port of Vladivostok, including Legendagro’s major agrotechnology park.
“China is our reliable partner. We reaffirmed our mutual interest to stepping up efforts to expand checkpoints, create new vehicle and railway crossings over the Argun, and introduce automated cargo shipment systems, while also removing the existing barriers. All this is expected to take our cooperation to a new level,” Governor of the Trans-Baikal Territory Alexander Osipov pointed out.
Governor of the Amur Region Vasily Orlov weighed in to say that the Amur Region served as a key link in the cross-border cooperation between Russia and China. “Blagoveshchensk is about to establish itself as a federal-level Competence Centre for Russia-China Business Cooperation in keeping with President Vladimir Putin’s instructions. We are ready to share our practical experience with our Chinese colleagues,” he said.
Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Aisen Nikolayev talked at length about the project to create a new international transport corridor. Titled Mohe–Naiba, it will be part of the Trans-Arctic Transport Corridor. The head of Yakutia went on to put forward an initiative to establish a joint working group for devising a coordinated framework for attracting Chinese shipments and aligning the corridor’s operation with the Polar Silk Road initiative.
Head of the Republic of Buryatia Alexei Tsydenov said that there was a lot of potential for mutually beneficial cooperation with China along several tracks, primarily in transport and logistics based on a new customs and logistics terminal Kyakhta. It already enables Chinese exports and state trade corporations to deliver their goods through Mongolian territory much faster and at a lower cost. There is also a special emphasis on arranging direct flights between Ulan-Ude and Chinese cities. Launching direct air service is something that matters for all sectors, from agriculture, manufacturing and logistics to education and healthcare.
Kamchatka Territory has launched a new passenger terminal at the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (Yelizovo) international airport, which makes it possible to increase the number of flights from major Russian cities and to launch air service with China considering that an international checkpoint is scheduled to open there in 2026. “Our most important strategic objective is to launch direct flights between Kamchatka and China, as we see a huge demand for this from the residents of the region. We are already working on it,” Governor of the Kamchatka Territory Vladimir Solodov said.
Summing up the meeting results, Yury Trutnev stressed that relations between the two countries have been enjoying positive momentum: “This is the basis for the stability of international relations across the world. We are ready to develop our relations with China in all the areas of activity we have mentioned during this meeting. The Russian Government is open to dialogue and will facilitate Chinese investment projects in the Far East. Our meeting is taking place on the eve of the visit by President of Russia Vladimir Putin to Beijing, and we are going to report to the leaders of our countries about the outcomes of these talks.” Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister also invited China’s representatives to take part in the Eastern Economic Forum.
The third Business Council on Cooperation between Russia’s Far East and the Northeast of China took place on the sidelines of the sixth meeting of the Russia-China Intergovernmental Commission for Cooperation and Development of the Far East of the Russian Federation and the Northeast of the People’s Republic of China. The Business Council is the key instrument for promoting bilateral trade, economic and investment partnership. Its third meeting was attended by over 200 representatives of more than 100 Russian and Chinese companies. Its vast programme included both official and business segments intended to expand practical interaction of the two countries’ business circles. Roscongress Foundation acted as a co-organiser of the third Business Council and assisted in establishing an exchange of business contacts and business meetings.
“We want the Business Council to work on establishing a mechanism for sharing best practices in technology. I think it is very important. We will also take a closer look at the Business Council’s proposals and issue the necessary instructions to ministries and agencies so that they can take them into account in their work. I wish all members of the Business Council success. I am certain that the support of our governments will create the necessary conditions for carrying out the planned initiatives,” Yury Trutnev noted.
Zhang Guoqing suggested that the Business Council pay attention to the following areas of activity: unlocking the advantages of border regions, engaging policy incentives, including the updated Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on the Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investments. As for business-to-business technological cooperation between the two countries, Zhang Guoqing highlighted cooperation in logistics, e-commerce, green economy and artificial intelligence.
The third Business Council’s agenda covered matters dealing with transport, and logistics, shipbuilding, agriculture, energy and tourism. The parties shared their experience in improving performance in trade and attracting investments to joint projects. They also discussed opportunities for opening the Business Council’s permanent missions in Vladivostok and Beijing.
