The VIII Russia-China Expo, featuring numerous companies and entrepreneurs from the Russian Federation, has commenced in Harbin, the administrative center of Heilongjiang Province in northeast China. Russian President Vladimir Putin will personally attend this significant event, organized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China, and the People's Government of Heilongjiang Province. The international exhibition operator Business Event, part of the Formica Group of Companies, is also involved in the organization.
Several Russian entities, including the Ministry of Construction, Ministry of East Development, Ministry of Education and Science, Rosstandart, Rosmolodezh, Moscow Administration, Government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Russian Export Center (REC), and the Institute of China and Modern Asia of the Russian Academy of Sciences, contributed to the preparation of the exhibition. Running until May 21, the Expo coincides with the 33rd Harbin International Trade and Economic Fair, located at the local international conference and exhibition center.
According to forecasts, the Expo will attract over 5,000 professional buyers and approximately 120 delegations from 44 countries and regions. The exhibition spans 388,000 square meters and will feature more than 5,000 types of goods. This event is one of the key celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of Russian-Chinese diplomatic relations.
Exhibition Program
Moscow and Zhejiang Province (Eastern China) are the honorary guests of this year's Expo. Coordinated by the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia, the business program includes 15 events, such as forums, thematic sections, and panel discussions. These activities focus on interregional, trade and economic, investment, and scientific and technical cooperation, as well as enhancing ties in industry, construction, metrology and standardization, transport and logistics, and youth entrepreneurship. The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation organized the exhibition.
On May 16, the festival-fair "Made in Russia" began on Harbin's "Arbat" (Zhongyang-dajie Street), running in a street format until May 26 and on the exhibition grounds until May 21. The REC, alongside the Russian Ministry of Agriculture, also launched the Russian National Pavilion with agro-industrial products in Harbin.
The opening ceremony of the VIII Russia-China Expo will take place on May 17, attended by key officials from both countries. The central event, the IV Russian-Chinese Forum on Interregional Cooperation, will follow, where President Putin is expected to deliver a speech. On the instructions of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Deputy Chairman Han Zheng will accompany Putin to Harbin. Delegations from 25 Russian regions will participate, with 17 regions represented at the top official level.
On May 18, a concert by the Russian National Youth Symphony Orchestra is scheduled. The program also includes presentations and seminars organized by Russian regions, a conference on logistics cooperation, and a round table for young entrepreneurs from Russia and China.
At the Harbin exhibition center, visitors can explore sections on transport and power engineering, digital technologies, mining, chemical, food and light industry, agro-industrial and forestry complex, medicine and pharmaceuticals, and folk arts and crafts.
Business and Cultural-Humanitarian Ties
According to Alexey Dakhnovsky, head of Russia’s trade mission in China, Russia will showcase its trade, economic, and investment potential at the Harbin Expo this year. Russian enterprises, including small and medium-sized businesses, plan to offer Chinese companies and entrepreneurs promising projects to promote long-term cooperation. Negotiations and deals are expected in both corporate formats (B2B - Business-to-Business) and direct interactions (B2C - Business-to-Consumer), where trading organizations establish commercial relationships with end consumers.
At Harbin, Russia will present themed exhibition displays focusing on information technology, the agricultural sector, and handicrafts. Visitors will be able to sample and purchase confectionery, beverages, fish and seafood, meat, dairy products, and many other goods from Russia. Additionally, guests will be invited to participate in culinary and tasting shows hosted by Russian producers. Educational institutions from both countries will also participate in related events.
Specifically, during the Expo, a business program event aimed at enhancing the skills of entrepreneurs from both countries’ universities is planned, involving Saint Petersburg State University (SPbSU) and Harbin Polytechnic University, along with the REC and VTB. This program will eventually expand to include 50 Russian and 15 Chinese educational institutions.
Moreover, during the exhibition, Moscow State University, SPbSU, Ural Federal University, and the National University of Science and Technology "MISiS" will conduct special educational lectures and workshops on folk crafts.
The "Made in Russia" festival will feature an entertainment program organized in the context of the cross-cultural years of the two countries. The Russian National Youth Symphony Orchestra will perform several concerts, including a gala concert at the Harbin Concert Hall. A multimedia art exhibition utilizing artificial intelligence technology will also be held, showcasing paintings from the Tretyakov Gallery.
Russian performers from the Moscow State Academic Dance Theater "Gzhel," the "Smile" dance ensemble from the Sverdlovsk State Children's Philharmonic, the State Philharmonic of the Republic of Sakha, the "Arko Artiko" string ensemble, and the Olonkho Theater will participate in the Expo. Bashkortostan will present a concert from the ethno-project "Khazina," and the State Academic Northern Russian Folk Choir from Arkhangelsk will perform Pomor songs.
Interregional Cooperation
This year's Expo motto is "Cooperation, Mutual Trust, and Opportunities." Over 1,400 companies from various cities and provinces in China will participate. Among the 16 Russian regions participating are Moscow, Amur, Arkhangelsk, Vladimir, Sverdlovsk, Tver, Tula, and Chelyabinsk regions, as well as the Trans-Baikal, Kamchatka, Primorsky, and Khabarovsk territories, and the republics of Bashkortostan, Tatarstan, Sakha, and Udmurtia.
Chen Shijun, head of the Heilongjiang Committee for Promoting International Trade, noted that Heilongjiang, China's northernmost province with a 3,000 km border with Russia, will continue to enrich bilateral trade and economic cooperation and regional interactions in the new era of comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Russia. He highlighted promising transport, logistics, cultural-humanitarian, tourism, youth, and educational projects involving active participation from companies, public organizations, and authorities from various administrative regions in both countries.
According to Liu Xuesong, director of the Eurasia Department at China’s Ministry of Commerce, China aims to increase imports from Russia of energy, minerals, food, and other goods, as well as expand cooperation in service trade, digital economy, low-carbon technologies, and cross-border e-commerce, creating new growth points in various fields.
Liu emphasized that the Expo will foster deeper mutual understanding and expanded cooperation between companies and regions in Russia and China, allowing for continuous expansion of the geographic and sectoral scope of their interactions.
The Russia-China Expo has been held alternately in Russia and China since 2014. Since its inception, the exhibition has attracted over 7,200 companies from both countries and more than 1 million entrepreneurs, facilitating contracts worth 446.8 billion yuan (approximately $63 billion). It serves as an effective platform for discussing trade, economic, and investment cooperation, and expanding regional interaction between the two countries.
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Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS