China-Russia expo brings new opportunities to both countries

The ongoing 8th China-Russia Expo in Harbin City of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province is bringing new opportunities to businesses from both sides.

The event, taking place from May 16 to 21, has attracted nearly 200 Chinese companies and 170 Russian firms to present more than 5,000 products in over 20 major categories from 10 sectors at the exhibition area, which spans 388,000 square meters.

The expo is attended by representatives from 16 Russian federal entities, including Moscow, Kamchatka, Arkhangelsk and the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).

"The Republic of Sakha has been participating in the Russia-China Expo from the very beginning. Our relations with China, in particular with the province of Heilongjiang, are already more than 20 years old. Today, we are presenting investment projects at the Russia-China Expo in Harbin City in the fields of industry, tourism, science and mining. You can see them here, in the pavilion of our republic," Yuliana Diryakhova, deputy general director of the Agency for Attracting Investments and Supporting Exports of the Republic of Sakha.

"Our company is participating in the China-Russia Expo for the first time, and we are lucky that this 8th edition is the largest. We brought many of our star products such as live king crabs and prepared frozen products. Our products have been popular both in Russia and in the Chinese market due to the reputation of good quality and the big size of our company in the industry," said Shen Yingjie, head of the Shanghai Representative Office of Russian Crab Group of Companies.

In addition to products, the Expo is also showcasing artworks at booths like the Russian "Cultural Cluster".

"I'm participating in the Harbin Expo for the third time. The first time was in 2017. Actually, the paintings that I brought this time are all at my booth. For example, here is a new work from the series - I have a series of iris - so I made a new work for this series. Actually, at this exhibition, I expect to find new partners, new friends, and get new pleasant impressions," said Vasily Matyukhin, a Russian artist.

Since its inception in 2014, the expo has attracted more than 7,200 Chinese and Russian enterprises, as well as over 1.05 million merchants, facilitating contracts totaling 446.8 billion yuan (about 63 billion U.S. dollars) in value.

In the meantime, countless consumers have expanded their choice of available goods and services thanks to the event.

"I come to the exhibition every year, as I live in Harbin. The Harbin International Economic and Trade Fair has been held for many years. This year, the China-Russia Expo is held simultaneously, attracting more visitors. At the exhibition, you can see many Russian products, as well as products from Heilongjiang and other Chinese provinces," said a visitor.

The Expo will last until May 21. This year, it is part of the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia.

The event serves as a platform to highlight Russia's socio-economic development, investment opportunities, cooperative projects, quality products and distinctive cultural elements.

In 2023, trade between China and Russia reached 240.1 billion U.S. dollars, achieving an established trade target of 200 billion U.S. dollars ahead of schedule. In the first quarter of 2024, bilateral trade amounted to 56.68 billion U.S. dollars, a year-on-year increase of 5.2 percent.

China-Russia expo brings new opportunities to both countries

China-Russia expo brings new opportunities to both countries

The China-Laos Railway, a landmark project of the Belt and Road Initiative, has handled 487,000 cross-border trips with passengers from 112 countries and regions in the past two years, according to China Railway Kunming Group.

Since the cross-border passenger service was officially launched on April 13, 2023, the railway linking Kunming of southwest China's Yunnan Province and Vientiane, the capital city of Laos, has facilitated increased trade, tourism, and cultural exchange between the two countries.

This year, tourist bookings from ASEAN countries to Xishuangbanna, a popular tourist destination in Yunnan Province, have increased by more than 250 percent this year, with hotel occupancy rates consistently exceeding 85 percent and a surge of over 35 percent in tourism spending.

To meet growing passenger demand, railway authorities have taken a series of targeted measures, including increasing the international passenger trains between Xishuangbanna and Laos' Luang Prabang from four to six days per week, and adding a stop at Nateuy station in Laos.

The number of cross-border passenger seats per train has increased from 250 at the outset to 390, while daily inbound and outbound passenger flow has surged from 300 to a peak of 1,300.

The railway has also stimulated investment and trade along the route. The Saysettha Development Zone in Vientiane has attracted over 150 companies from nine countries and regions, including China, Japan, and Malaysia, generating an annual output of over 2 billion U.S. dollars.

China-Laos Railway handles over 480,000 cross-border trips in 2 years