"Russia ranks second among the countries from where tourists travel to China"

From January to May 2026, the volume of cross-border trade between Russia and China increased by 20% and approached $3 billion, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui told Izvestia. This was facilitated by the visa-free regime, which has been in effect for almost a year. In the first half of the year, Russia took the second place in inbound tourism to China. Travelers from China have expanded their travel geography to Siberia and the Far East. And Xi'an, Chengdu and Zhangjiajie are gaining popularity among Russians. At the same time, Moscow and Beijing agreed to work on mutual integration of mobile payment systems, optimization of communication tariffs and improvement of transport. Whether it will be possible to increase student scholarships for Russians and Chinese and accelerate the popularization of both languages is discussed in Zhang Hanhui's exclusive interview with Izvestia.

"The benefits of visa-free travel are being transformed into an increase in orders for enterprises"

— In 2025, Russia and China introduced a mutual visa-free regime, which was later extended until the end of 2027. How do you assess this initiative and its impact on the development of our bilateral relations?

— China and Russia are good neighbors who share both joys and sorrows, as well as reliable partners who strive for mutual benefit. In recent years, under the strategic leadership and personal assistance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, cooperation between our countries in various fields has consistently borne rich fruits.

In September and December 2025, China and Russia consistently introduced a visa-free regime for citizens with ordinary passports. This important initiative has become a clear manifestation of the high level of political mutual trust between the two countries and meets the real needs of comprehensive exchange and cooperation within the framework of bilateral relations. In 2026, the parties jointly decided to extend the mutual visa-free regime until December 31, 2027.

We can see that the scale of trips has increased significantly. In 2025, the number of mutual tourist trips exceeded 3 million. According to our data, 154.2 thousand Chinese tourists visited Russia in the first quarter of this year alone, which is 44% more than a year earlier. In the first half of the year, Russia ranked second among the countries from where tourists come to China. Increased travel has already become a new engine for increasing consumption and deepening cooperation. We are ready to continue working together with the Russian side to improve the comfort for travelers.

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— The new entry rules have significantly facilitated business contacts. In the first seven months of 2026, bilateral trade exceeded $159 billion, adding more than 26%. How does the visa-free regime help unlock the economic potential of our countries?

— The implementation of the visa-free regime has effectively reduced the costs of cross-border contacts between business circles, exhibition participants and representatives of the regions of the two countries, making face-to-face communication a common practice and turning regular mutual trips into a steady habit.

From January to May, the volume of cross-border trade reached $2.84 billion, an increase of 20% year-on-year and accounting for 12.8% of China's total cross-border trade. Activity in the field of small-scale border and fair trade has increased, which directly benefits the residents of these areas. In addition, businesses have become more active in exhibitions. For example, the 10th Sino-Russian EXPO in Harbin in May attracted more than 1.5 thousand enterprises from the two countries, and more than 200 Chinese companies attended the ROSTKI Forum in Kazan in August. The advantages of the visa-free regime are gradually being transformed into an increase in the number of orders for enterprises, acceleration of project implementation and expansion of employment opportunities, which brings real and tangible benefits to the peoples of both countries.

The Chinese side is ready to work with the Russian Federation to make common efforts to further improve related services under the visa-free regime, improve the convenience of border and customs procedures, strengthen information exchange and coordinate policy measures, provide citizens of both countries with more convenient and comfortable conditions after entry, and promote more active and effective exchange and cooperation between regions and enterprises. two countries.

"Chinese tourists are gradually expanding the geography of their travels"

— Freedom of movement has led to a boom in spontaneous travel. What attracts Chinese tourists to Russia the most, and what new trends are noticeable among Russians visiting China?

— The introduction of a visa-free regime has lowered barriers to cross-border travel and contributed to further rapprochement between the peoples of the two countries. Chinese tourists are gradually expanding the geography of their travels: From the traditionally popular Moscow and St. Petersburg, their routes extend to the Far East, Siberia, and even beyond the Arctic Circle. Majestic and monumental Moscow, exquisite and steeped in the spirit of art St. Petersburg, grandiose and boundless Lake Baikal, the mesmerizing spectacle of the Northern Lights in Murmansk - each of these places reveals the unique natural beauty of Russia and its rich cultural heritage, which attracts many Chinese tourists.

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In addition to classic sightseeing routes, thematic and educational trips with deep immersion in local specifics are becoming increasingly popular among Chinese tourists: acquaintance with winter recreation, observation of the northern lights, participation in festivals and holidays, industrial and educational tours.

Russian tourists in China are also changing their preferences. There is a growing interest in wellness programs based on traditional Chinese medicine, beach holidays and gastronomic tourism. The requirements for the quality of hotel services are increasing. Along with Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, Harbin, Xi'an, Chengdu and Zhangjiajie are rapidly gaining popularity. Mutual tourism goes beyond the border areas and forms an extensive network of destinations deep into the territories of both countries.

— What practical challenges have our countries faced since the abolition of visas and how are they being addressed?

— Frankly speaking, the rapid growth of passenger traffic has raised a number of questions for us.

During peak periods, the requirements for the effectiveness of border control increase. In cities where direct flights have recently opened, it is necessary to improve the tourist infrastructure and multilingual navigation. We have to overcome the "last mile" in the areas of mobile payments, roaming and ticket purchase. It is these challenges that determine the areas where China and Russia can continue to focus efforts on optimizing cooperation.

It is encouraging that almost a year of practice has allowed us to make progress. The 24th round of inter-ministerial consultations on consular issues was recently held, where we agreed on steps to improve the situation. Airports and tourist sites are already introducing navigation: in Russia, signs in Chinese are becoming more common, and in China, information services in Russian are being introduced. Tour operators develop personalized products for guests' requests.

Looking to the future, the Chinese side is full of optimism. Together, we have agreed to work on the mutual integration of mobile payment systems, optimizing communication tariffs and improving transportation. I am sure that in the near future, citizens of our countries will be able to travel with maximum comfort, and the visa-free regime will be the most visible evidence of our friendly cooperation in a new era.

"It is planned to increase the number of state scholarships"

— This year, the cross-years of education between Russia and China have started. How do open borders help cooperation in this area and what are the main plans for youth exchanges?

— The introduction of a visa-free regime has opened an unprecedented convenient channel for humanitarian and educational exchanges. More and more young people from China and Russia are getting the opportunity to travel abroad, learn the language and get acquainted with each other's culture.

The Organizing Committee of the Years of Education in China and Russia widely attracts local governments, specialized institutions, as well as schools and universities of various levels and types. A plan of more than 300 key events has already been developed. We will focus on four practical areas.

This is an expansion of the scale and improvement of the quality of educational exchanges. It is planned to increase the number of government scholarships and encourage interuniversity student exchanges, support short-term internships, summer schools and joint educational programs.

In addition, it is planned to deepen joint research in the field of fundamental and applied sciences. It provides support for joint research in such fundamental disciplines as mathematics, physics and chemistry, as well as in advanced fields such as artificial intelligence, new materials and biomedicine. It is planned to hold joint high-level scientific conferences, establish joint laboratories and innovation cooperation centers, exchange scientific and technical achievements and jointly train personnel.

Thirdly, we are talking about expanding twinning ties between schools, developing exchanges and cooperation in the field of general education. We will organize mutual visits between teachers and students, hold teleconferences, themed cultural camps and other events so that the friendship between Chinese and Russian youth is strengthened from an early age.

Another area is the support of language learning and the mutual enrichment of cultures. The parties intend to accelerate the promotion and popularization of Chinese and Russian languages in each other's territories.