"Russian energy supplies to China have reached almost $80 billion"
Amid the conflict in the Middle East, Russian oil exports to China increased by more than 30% in the first quarter of 2026, Russian Ambassador to China Igor Morgulov told Izvestia. At the same time, Moscow is ready for new pipeline projects in the energy sector with Beijing, and Russian energy supplies to China reached almost $80 billion last year. Today, the countries are interested in combining national development strategies, the Ambassador stressed. Russia and China are also preparing new educational projects, advocate a peaceful resolution of the Iran-US war, and insist on a review of the security system in the Middle East.
"We have moved from cross-border and shuttle trade in the mid-1990s to large-scale joint projects"
— The 30th anniversary of the proclamation of the Russian-Chinese strategic partnership has recently been celebrated, and in July another date is celebrated — the 25th anniversary of the bilateral Agreement on Good Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation. How do you assess the evolution of relations between Russia and China during this time and their prospects?
— This year is rich in anniversaries, I would even say, significant dates in our relations with China. On April 25, 1996, the President of Russia and the Chairman of the People's Republic of China signed a Joint Declaration in Beijing, which proclaimed the development of "relations of equal and trust-based partnership aimed at strategic cooperation in the 21st century." And five years later, on July 16, 2001, our countries signed a basic agreement on good—neighborliness, friendship and cooperation.
These fundamental documents, reflecting the conscious choice of the peoples of the two countries, still determine the main vector of development of mutual relations, which have become a model of how relations between major powers and close neighbors should be built in the modern world on the basis of equality, mutual respect, consideration of each other's interests and a sincere desire for joint development.
Over the past period, a long way has been passed, confirming the correctness of the decisions taken then. The status of bilateral ties has now been officially upgraded to a formula of comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation in a new era. But I think, in the end, it's not the name that matters, but the fact that, in fact, there are very impressive results in all areas of our interstate communication.
From cross-border and shuttle trade in the mid-1990s, we have moved on to large-scale joint projects in the energy sector, mechanical engineering, space, and the most advanced areas of science and technology. Today we are discussing issues of combining national long-term development strategies. The bilateral trade turnover has increased 33 times since 1996, and in the last three years it has consistently exceeded the target set by the leaders of $200 billion and continues to increase steadily — it grew by almost 15% in the first quarter of this year.
The base of practical and humanitarian cooperation is steadily expanding. This is helped by the regular implementation of cross-year thematic projects since 2006. This year and next year were no exceptions — the leaders decided to declare them Years of cooperation in the field of education. Communication between people has become easier — since last year, tourists and entrepreneurs from the two countries can visit each other without visas.
In the international arena, Russia and China defend the right of all states to choose their own path of development, work together to build a just, multipolar, democratic world order, and contribute to the formation of an architecture of equal and indivisible security on our common continent, Eurasia.
Important features of the Russian-Chinese partnership are its non—focus on anyone and the absence of a block mentality. Moscow and Beijing do not seek any form of alliance, but provide mutual support on issues of fundamental importance to the other side, based on the convergence of interests and proximity of approaches to key global and regional issues. This allows both countries to continue moving towards independent development, deepening both full-scale economic cooperation and cooperation in the international arena, focused on long-term peace, good neighborliness and prosperity.
— As you have already noted, the years 2026-2027 have been declared the "cross" Years of Russian-Chinese cooperation in the field of education. What, in your opinion, caused such a decision by the leaders of the two countries? What will be included in the program of their holding?
— I believe that the leaders' decision primarily reflects the importance that educational cooperation has for the development prospects of our countries. Against the background of the unfolding competition in the world in the field of new technologies that can radically change the way of life of mankind, success will be for those states that have strong positions in the field of science and education. Of course, Russia and China are among them. Obviously, the addition of potentials here can give a powerful synergistic effect.
Our countries have already come close to meeting the goal of bringing the total volume of academic mobility to 100,000 people, despite the fact that this milestone was previously expected to be reached by 2030. At the embassy, we have recorded a twofold increase in the number of visa applications from Chinese citizens for visas to travel to our country for educational purposes compared to the pre-pandemic period. Last year alone, 34,000 such visas were issued.
Currently, about 200 Russian-Chinese educational programs and 45 institutes within local universities are registered in the republic. Celebrating a decade since its establishment this year, the joint university of Lomonosov Moscow State University and Beijing Polytechnic Institute in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen currently has almost 4,500 students and postgraduates studying in Russian, employing 364 Russian specialists, including 14 members of the Russian Academy of Sciences. In the near future, the university plans to increase the student body to 6.5–7 thousand people.
As part of the Years of Education, a number of new projects are to be launched, among which are the organization of a joint Institute for Innovative Research at Tsinghua University with St. Petersburg State University, the launch of a Russian-Chinese university in Shandong Province with the participation of a consortium of Tatarstan universities, and the construction of a campus of the Moscow Power Engineering Institute in the island province of Hainan (MEI-Hainan University). It is planned to hold hundreds of events aimed at deepening cooperation in the fields of higher, secondary vocational, school and additional education.
I am confident that the implementation of these initiatives will give a significant impetus to the development of practical sectoral cooperation, will contribute to the expansion of exchanges between students and scientific and pedagogical communities of the two countries. An important task within the framework of the Years of Education project is the further popularization of the Russian language in China and Chinese in Russia.
"Russia has confirmed its status as a reliable supplier of energy resources to China"
— How is Russian-Chinese cooperation developing in the energy sector? Has the crisis in the Middle East affected him? How is China generally coping with the tensions that have arisen in the international oil and gas market?
— Our cooperation in the energy sector has acquired a truly strategic character in recent years, becoming a real engine of the entire range of bilateral practical relations.
By the end of 2025, domestic energy supplies to China reached almost $80 billion, which is a third of the total mutual trade. Russia has been the largest exporter of oil and, more recently, gas to the Chinese market for several years in a row, and has consistently been among the top three in coal shipments. A number of large-scale joint projects are being implemented, including in the field of nuclear energy, and close cooperation has been established in the technology sector and on the green agenda.
Since the beginning of this year, the dynamics of cooperation on this track has increased even more. Russian oil exports to China increased by more than 30% in the first quarter compared to the same period in 2025, with growth recorded not only in March, at the height of the conflict in the Middle East, but also in previous months. The Power of Siberia gas pipeline is being steadily loaded, and we are seeing a significant increase in LNG supplies.
All this is an additional confirmation that the Russian-Chinese energy partnership is very resistant to external shocks, such as the crisis caused by the unprovoked aggression of the United States and Israel against Iran. Moreover, in a situation where the closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupted established supply chains, Russia confirmed its status as a reliable supplier of energy resources to China and other countries.
We have once again become convinced of the foresight of the decision taken by the parties at the time to build cross-border oil and gas pipelines and to develop the transportation of hydrocarbons by sea. We are ready to further deepen cooperation with our Chinese friends in this area, including through the implementation of new pipeline projects at a very advanced stage.
Speaking about the impact of the crisis in the Persian Gulf on China's energy sector, I cannot fail to note Beijing's success in making its energy complex sustainable. The partners have accumulated sufficient strategic reserves, are consistently increasing the share of peaceful atom and renewable sources in the energy mix, and are effectively using their existing competencies in the coal sector. High energy prices and the "loss" of certain volumes of supplies, of course, affect the local market, but not in a critical way.
— The situation around Iran remains the most pressing international problem. Are Russia and China cooperating on this issue?
— From the very beginning of the crisis, Russia and China have been directly talking about its root cause — the American-Israeli aggression, unleashed under the guise of negotiations, without the sanction of the UN Security Council, in violation of international law. The military actions brought the region to the brink of a full-scale war and dealt a significant blow to the global economy.
Our Chinese friends and I have good relations with Iran and the Arab States of the Persian Gulf. Together, we firmly stand for an early peaceful settlement of the conflict. At the same time, we point to the urgent need to reformat the security architecture in the Persian Gulf and the Middle East as a whole, caused by the growing distrust of regional states in the ability, and most importantly, the sincerity of the United States' intentions to ensure stability there.
The unity of the two countries' approaches to the situation is clearly evidenced by the fact that Moscow and Beijing jointly sponsored the draft UN Security Council resolution on navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, which, in our common opinion, would not only not contribute to resolving the crisis, but would also create prerequisites for abuse in the system of international relations. If this initiative had passed, I dare say that the subsequent US-Iranian truce would most likely not have taken place.
"Mongolia is actively involved in the SCO activities"
— Mongolia has been considered one of the potential candidates for full membership in the SCO for many years. Do Russia and China intend to jointly support its accession to the organization this year? Is there such a request from Ulaanbaatar?
— Although our Mongolian colleagues have not yet made a decision on joining the SCO, we consider this country connected with us by strong ties of friendship and good-neighborliness as an organic, integral part of the common space of the organization. In fact, Ulaanbaatar has long been actively involved in its activities: along with its annual participation in high-level events as an observer, its representatives are regularly invited to various meetings to discuss issues of practical cooperation within the association. New prospects for cooperation are opening up in connection with Mongolia's upcoming transition to the new category of "SCO partner" created in accordance with the decisions of the Tianjin Summit.
And yet this is not the limit. The full-fledged inclusion of Mongolian friends in the Shosov family would create an additional cumulative effect for the implementation of mutually beneficial strategic projects in the fields of energy, industry, agriculture, and would help strengthen the country's transport and logistics connectivity with the region. As far as I know, this approach is shared not only by Russia and China, but also by other member states of the organization.
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