Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
Beijing, December 16 (Xinhua) — After China introduced a trial visa-free regime for Russian citizens entering with ordinary passports on September 15, the number of Russian tourists in the country increased significantly compared to the same period last year. The entry into force of Russia's visa-free regime for Chinese citizens in early December also led to a noticeable increase in interest from Chinese tourists in the neighboring country.
But changes aren't just happening in the tourism sector. At the end of November, Moscow hosted the closing ceremony of the China-Russia Years of Culture, which marked a dynamic chapter in the history of cultural relations between the two countries and elevated their humanitarian cooperation to unprecedented heights. And as they say in China, successes always come in pairs. Following the Years of Culture, China and Russia will hold events as part of their cross-cultural Years of Education in 2026-2027.
Thus, humanitarian cooperation between China and Russia continues to deepen and gain new content, strengthening the social foundation of mutual understanding and friendship between the two countries.
VISA-FREE TRAVEL MAKES TRAVEL EASIER
In accordance with a decree issued by Russian President Vladimir Putin, from December 1, 2025, to September 14, 2026, Chinese citizens may enter the Russian Federation visa-free and stay for up to 30 days for guest or business visits, as tourists, or to participate in scientific, cultural, socio-political, economic, and sporting events. Russia predicts that the number of Chinese tourists in 2026 may increase by 15-30 percent.
Data from major Chinese travel platforms shows that searches for flights to Russia increased sharply following the announcement of the visa-free regime. The most popular destinations are Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Chengdu. Statistics from Fliggy, an online travel platform owned by Alibaba, show that in the hour following the announcement, searches for trips to Russia jumped more than eightfold, and bookings nearly fivefold compared to the previous day. Moscow, Murmansk, St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, and Irkutsk are the most popular Russian cities among Chinese tourists.
A Trip.com analyst noted that a visa-free regime for Chinese citizens simplifies entry into Russia, reduces time and costs, and will attract more individual and group tourists from China.
Earlier, on September 15, Beijing unilaterally introduced a trial visa-free regime for Russian citizens with ordinary passports, fueling interest among Russians in traveling to China. According to Chinese data, in the month following the visa waiver, more than 30,000 Russian citizens entered through Beijing Daxing Airport, an 80 percent increase compared to the same period last year. The Shanghai General Border Control Agency inspected a total of 28,800 Russian citizens crossing the border, of which 21,200 (73.6 percent) took advantage of the visa-free regime. Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Sanya, and Harbin are popular destinations for Russians.
China places great importance on facilitating mutual travel with Russia and supports strengthening contacts between the two peoples. "We will meet Russia halfway, jointly create more favorable conditions to further facilitate mutual travel for citizens of both countries, and translate the important agreements between our leaders into tangible results that benefit the peoples of China and Russia. This will make a significant contribution to the continuous deepening and advancement of China-Russia relations, a comprehensive partnership of strategic coordination in the new era," Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui stated in an interview with Russian media.
The visa-free regime has significantly simplified mutual travel and given new vitality to Chinese-Russian cooperation in trade, economic, cultural, and other areas.
YEARS OF CULTURE STRENGTHENED THE SOCIAL BASIS OF FRIENDSHIP
Both China and Russia boast a long history and a wonderful culture. Humanitarian exchanges play a vital role in strengthening the friendship between the two peoples. In 2023, the leaders of China and Russia agreed to hold reciprocal China-Russia Years of Culture in 2024-2025. As part of this, the two sides conducted a number of cultural exchanges, unlocking the potential for cultural cooperation.
An important component of humanitarian exchanges is collaboration in film and television. The joint Chinese-Russian retro detective thriller "Red Silk," released this year, became a key project within the Years of Culture. The official release of this film in both countries helped audiences capture history in their hearts and pass on traditional friendship from generation to generation.
The Russian television channel REN TV noted that "Red Silk" has elevated cultural ties between Russia and China to a new level. The journalists emphasized that the concept of "strategic partners" has long been defined beyond economics and geopolitics—rather, historical and cultural affinities underlie Russia-China relations. "The jointly produced film 'Red Silk' has received widespread recognition precisely because it tells the story of revolutionaries from both countries fighting side by side," the channel stated.
During this year's Spring Festival celebrations, the Chinese Embassy in Russia, together with the Moscow government and Chinese companies operating in Russia, organized the "Chinese New Year" festival. Hundreds of events took place across Moscow's streets and alleys. Novy Arbat, Zaryadye Park, and the Central Department Store (TSUM) were decorated with festive decorations, while landmarks such as the Ostankino TV Tower and the Moscow Sun Ferris Wheel were illuminated in a festive "Chinese red." "Chinese New Year is becoming our holiday, too," noted Galina Kulikova, First Deputy Chairperson of the Russian-Chinese Friendship Society.
Over 400 events were held as part of the cross-cultural Years of Culture, including exhibitions of cultural relics, film screenings, theatrical performances, youth cultural and creative exchanges, and much more. These events enriched the cultural lives of both countries, deepened mutual understanding and trust, and brought the hearts of the Chinese and Russians closer together.
"The Years of Russian and Chinese Culture have become a vibrant chapter in the cultural annals of our countries and have elevated the entire spectrum of cultural and humanitarian cooperation to a new level. They have demonstrated that the demand for Russian culture in China and Chinese culture in Russia is steadily growing, attracting ever more young talent. By concluding this truly ambitious project, we are not drawing a line under the bridge, but rather opening a new chapter in the history of our cultural ties," emphasized State Secretary and Deputy Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Zhanna Alekseyeva on November 17 at the closing ceremony of the Years of Russian and Chinese Culture at the State Tretyakov Gallery.
COOPERATION IN EDUCATION GIVES NEW DYNAMICS
The holding of mutually themed years is a wonderful tradition of Chinese-Russian humanitarian exchanges, one of the key areas of which is education. This past May, the leaders of China and Russia agreed to hold China-Russia Years of Education in 2026-2027.
From November 20-22, three days after the official closing of the Years of Culture, the Russian-Chinese Education Festival was held in Moscow. In his video address, Russian Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov called the event a "prologue" to the upcoming Years of Education between Russia and China, noting that the festival is a clear demonstration of the strength and depth of the comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction between the two countries.
Thanks to the joint efforts of both sides, exchanges and cooperation between China and Russia in the field of education have achieved significant results, and the scale of bilateral student exchanges continues to expand.
Over the past five years, the number of Chinese students at Russian universities has nearly doubled, reaching 56,000 last year. More and more Russian applicants are choosing China for higher education; last year, approximately 21,000 Russian citizens studied in China. In accordance with the goals of educational cooperation between the two countries, the total number of Chinese and Russian exchange students is expected to reach 100,000 by 2030.
As of May 2024, approximately 90,000 schoolchildren and students are studying Chinese in Russia. By 2025, Chinese language learning in Russia will become an integral part of the educational environment.
Over the past five years, the number of people studying Russian in China has increased by an average of 7 percent annually, which is primarily due to the increase in the number of Chinese universities that have included Russian as a specialization.
Universities from the two countries have jointly established 14 associations of specialized universities, encompassing more than 600 universities, forming the world's largest bilateral cooperation network, organizing over 120 events annually.
Joint educational projects between China and Russia are currently continuously developing and strengthening, becoming an important pillar of bilateral cooperation. As of 2025, the Chinese Ministry of Education has registered over 200 joint Chinese-Russian educational programs and 35 joint educational institutions. A flagship project has been the Moscow State University-PTI University in Shenzhen.
The years of formation of China and Russia will open up new opportunities for the development of relevant cooperation. –0–
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