Russian President Vladimir Putin's upcoming visit to China is widely expected to elevate bilateral relations and inject impetus to global strategic stability in a volatile and turbulent world, a Chinese expert said.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination and the 25th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation.
Chen Yu, deputy director of the Institute of Eurasian Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, believes the two heads of state will focus on how to further promote the steady and long-term development of bilateral relations and delve into a range of global strategic issues, including regional hotspots.
"There is a significant complementarity of interests between China and Russia, stemming from pragmatic cooperation and strategic coordination. China and Russia are committed to building pragmatic and independent partnerships based on the principles of no-alliance, no-confrontation and no-targeting of any third party. I believe this development path itself contributes to the steady and long-term development of China-Russia relations and also to world peace and stability," said Chen.
According to China's Ministry of Commerce, bilateral trade reached approximately 228 billion U.S. dollars in 2025, exceeding the 200-billion-dollar threshold for the third consecutive year. China has remained Russia's largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years.
Strategic coordination has also galvanized vibrant cultural exchanges, further strengthening mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples. The China-Russia Years of Education, starting this year, are set to feature hundreds of exchange events, building on the success of previous theme years dedicated to culture, sports and sci-tech innovation.
Mutual visa-free policies have significantly facilitated people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. According to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia, over 150,000 Chinese tourists visited Russia in the first quarter of 2026, up 44.4 percent year on year, while Russian trips to China rose 33.6 percent in 2025.
Beyond bilateral cooperation, China and Russia also play an important role in amplifying the voice of the Global South and promoting a multipolar international order.
The world today is witnessing profound transformation and mounting turbulence, as the post-war international order comes under strain, established norms governing international relations are increasingly challenged, geopolitical conflicts intensify, and the risk of a return to the law of the jungle grows.
Strategic coordination between China and Russia is of great significance for maintaining global strategic stability, and upholding multilateralism and the international order.
China and Russia have been pooling global efforts to firmly uphold fairness and justice, defend the victorious outcomes of the World War II, and safeguard the UN-centered international system and the basic norms of international law.
"China and Russia maintain cooperation and dialogue within a range of international mechanisms, such as the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS, which helps promote dialogue, consultation and resolution of global issues. Both countries are important forces driving a multipolar world. There is a need for interaction between China and Russia on a range of regional hotspots and global strategic issues. Direct dialogue between the heads of state on these strategic issues can certainly help bring the two sides closer together and engage in strategic cooperation," said Chen. Putin will pay a state visit to China from Tuesday to Wednesday at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping. This will be his 25th visit to China.
China-Russia all-round partnership helps anchor world amid turbulence: scholar
