Economic, trade cooperation to be key focus in upcoming Putin-Xi talks: Russian official

Economic and trade cooperation will be a key focus in the upcoming talks between the heads of state of Russia and China in Moscow, according to the special representative of the President of Russia.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Russia from May 7 to 10 and attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War in Moscow, at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In a recent interview with CGTN, Boris Titov, the special representative and also chairman of the Russian side of the Chinese-Russian Friendship, Peace, and Development Committee, noted that the two leaders share a long-standing friendship which has served as a cornerstone for mutual progress of the two countries.

"President Xi has visited Russia multiple times and met with President Putin on several occasions. However, this upcoming meeting will be of crucial and historic significance, as both countries will continue to expand cooperation in various fields," Titov said.

He emphasized the substantial cooperation potential for Russia and China in the fields of trade and investment.

"The trade between the two countries has significantly increased in recent years, and there is still substantial potential for growth. I believe that further expanding bilateral trade will be a key topic in the upcoming talks. We aim to double our current trade figure of 240 billion dollars," said the special representative.

"Cooperation in the field of investment will also be on the meeting's agenda. We have numerous cooperation projects, and both countries will continue to open up to each other. China is continuously working to attract foreign investment. There are 9,000 Chinese enterprises operating in Russia, while the number of foreign enterprises operating in China has now exceeded 1.2 million. There is significant potential in the investment sector for Russia and China. Chinese companies can invest in Russia and set up businesses there. Russia has a significant demand for Chinese technology, and Russian companies hold strong expertise in various areas, which could be highly beneficial for China as well," Titov said.

Economic, trade cooperation to be key focus in upcoming Putin-Xi talks: Russian official

China's movie industry is increasingly deriving its earnings from broader consumer economy.

Released during the 2025 summer season, the film "Nobody" became China's highest-grossing two-dimensional animated film -- and its success went beyond theaters.

Through licensing and brand partnerships, the movie has generated 2.5 billion yuan (about 358.3 million U.S. dollars) in retail sales to consumers, with more than 800 licensed products on the market.

Ranging from plush toys to food and home goods, the movie-related merchandise can be purchased from over 3,000 online and offline outlets.

Meanwhile, souvenir stores are crowded at Shanghai Disneyland's Zootopia themed land, with hats, plush toys, and collectibles seeing steady demand from visitors.

"China's film industry is no longer defined by box office revenue alone. It has become a new growth engine that links and energizes multiple cultural sectors. At the heart of every successful film is strong storytelling. High-quality productions create cultural value, which in turn enhances the commercial value of intellectual property and opens up new consumption opportunities. I believe China's film industry delivered an outstanding performance in the past year," said Chen Xiaoda, vice dean of Shanghai Vancouver Film School.

Film IP fuels expansion of consumer market