Russian Pavilions, Chengdu rail port drive 15 years of China-Russia trade growth

The Russian Pavilions and railway port in Chengdu, southwestern China, stand as vibrant symbols of 15 years of flourishing trade between Russia and its largest trading partner, China.

Opening Russian Pavilions in China has been a key step to strengthen Sino-Russian cooperation and friendship.

Chengdu is the fifth Chinese city to host one, stocking over 800 different authentic Russian products. Currently, there are three official Russian pavilions in the city, with the largest one spanning 600 square meters.

"While many classify these as 'agricultural sideline products,' our range goes beyond prepackaged foods, including daily chemicals, dairy, confectionery, alcohol, and beverages," said Li Yuan, general manager of Russian Pavilions in Chengdu.

The three pavilions attract around 600 visitors daily, with peak seasons including Chinese New Year and summer, although some products are sold all year round.

"The top sellers here are dairy and health foods, like MolSib milk powder. Its popularity stems from no anti-caking agents, natural ingredients, and higher protein content, ideal for children and seniors. Plus, it has a longer shelf life than pure milk," said Li.

The bilateral trade between China and Russia hit a record 245 billion U.S. dollars in 2024, up 1.9 percent year-on-year, with future collaboration expected in digital economy, e-commerce, biomedicine, and green energy.

The China-Europe Railway Express has been pivotal. Last year, the Chengdu International Railway Port dispatched over 5,500 freight trains, exporting Chinese electric vehicles and apparel to 29 Russian cities and importing Russian frozen goods, rapeseed oil, pulp, timber, and minerals. The port also operates a Moscow Consolidation Center.

"Our core facility features a Chinese-Russian bilingual conference system to streamline business talks. We also offer cross-border services, company registration, legal advice, and tax/finance compliance," said Zhong Guodong, logistics director of Russian Sinorail Logistics Company.

Russian Pavilions, Chengdu rail port drive 15 years of China-Russia trade growth

The death toll from a landfill collapse in the central Philippine city of Cebu has risen to eight by Monday morning as search and rescue operations continued for another 28 missing people.

The landfill collapse occurred on Thursday as dozens of sanitation workers were working at the site. The disaster has already caused injuries of 18 people.

Family members of the missing people said the rescue progress is slow, and the hope for the survival of their loved ones is fading.

"For me, maybe I’ve accepted the worst result already because the garbage is poisonous and yesterday, it was raining very hard the whole day. Maybe they’ve been poisoned. For us, alive or dead, I hope we can get their bodies out of the garbage rubble," said Maria Kareen Rubin, a family member of a victim.

Families have set up camps on high ground near the landfill, awaiting news of their relatives. Some people at the site said cries for help could still be heard hours after the landfill collapsed, but these voices gradually faded away.

Bienvenido Ranido, who lost his wife in the disaster, said he can't believe all that happened.

"After they gave my wife oxygen, my kids and I were expecting that she would be saved that night because she was still alive. But the night came and till the next morning, they didn't manage to save her," he said.

Death toll in central Philippine landfill collapse rises to eight