Pioneering partnership

By Sun Zhuangzhi | China Daily Global | Updated: 2026-07-15 18:21

Share - WeChat

China and Russia have leveraged their time-honored tradition of good-neighborliness to forge a new model of state-to-state relations

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, making this year a milestone in bilateral relations. In May, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited China and held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The two sides signed a series of important cooperation documents. Among them, a joint statement on further strengthening comprehensive strategic coordination and deepening good-neighborliness and friendly cooperation, signed by the two heads of state, holds particular significance.

This document, which is broad in scope and covers several aspects of bilateral cooperation, places particular emphasis on the treaty’s role in inheriting and advancing the long-standing traditions of China-Russia exchanges. It establishes a durable legal foundation for contemporary China-Russia relations, fully reflecting the two countries’ time-honored tradition of good-neighborliness and the shared desire of their peoples for enduring friendship.

The signing and two extensions of the treaty attest to the fact that China-Russia relations continue to move forward, thanks to the tireless efforts of both sides. They are mature in nature, driven by strong internal momentum and resilient to external interference. The stability and breadth of bilateral ties fully serve the fundamental interests of both countries and their peoples, align with their respective national development goals, and contribute greatly to advancing a more just multipolar world and the democratization of international relations.

Politically, the strategic coordination between China and Russia has helped elevate good-neighborly relations and strategic partnerships with other Eurasian countries, underpinned by an increasingly robust legal framework. China has signed similar treaties of good-neighborliness and friendly cooperation with all five Central Asian countries and achieved full coverage of comprehensive strategic partnerships with them.

Over the past 30 years, particularly since 2013 with head-of-state diplomacy playing a crucial strategic guiding role, bilateral cooperation between China and Russia has produced many remarkable outcomes. China has remained Russia’s major trading partner, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges have continued to flourish.

New cooperation models and channels are being explored, such as using the internet to enhance media collaboration and cultural showcases, and increasing youth exchanges, especially among students, to cultivate talent with global perspectives and cross-cultural communication skills. Tourism and public health exchanges have become new focal points of their relationship.

The mutual visa exemption has facilitated personnel flows and cultural interactions. Cooperation mechanisms and platforms between the two sides are extensive, including regular meetings between the two premiers, intergovernmental and inter-parliamentary mechanisms, and people-to-people mechanisms such as the China-Russia Friendship Committee for Peace and Development.

Besides, cooperation platforms are no longer confined to the economic and trade sector but have extended to science and technology, think tanks, public health and other fields. The two countries have alternately hosted a series of “national years”, promoting mutual understanding and affinity among their peoples. They also cooperate within multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and the G20, demonstrating the sense of responsibility befitting major powers.

China and Russia have jointly built a new type of international relations, reflected in a new model of state-to-state relations based on partnership rather than alliance, the shared pursuit of national rejuvenation and modernization, the joint commitment to upholding international fairness and justice within the United Nations and other multilateral frameworks and the common endeavor to promote world multipolarity.

Since 2013, when China first put forward the vision of building a new type of international relations, the two countries have issued several joint statements on major international issues, reflecting their converging positions. In 2017, they released a statement on the current world situation and major international issues; in 2022, they followed up with a statement on international relations and global sustainable development in the new era.

In May, the two sides issued a joint statement advocating a multipolar world and a new type of international relations, in which they explicitly opposed bloc confrontation and called for a more united international community. The document also underscored the importance of countries respecting one another’s fundamental interests, treating each other as equals and engaging in mutually beneficial cooperation.

Over the three-decade development of the China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination, the two neighboring countries have strengthened their strategic mutual trust. And they have remained steadfast in their commitment to promoting the establishment of a global governance system that is more just, equitable and well-regulated.

Looking ahead, the two sides should develop exemplary cooperation projects and leverage these to strengthen their practical cooperation and promote deep-level cooperation with other countries in the Eurasian region on different platforms. As international conditions evolve, it is essential that they maintain strong coordination in strategic matters. Given the current global changes, strengthening this partnership is not just necessary but vital for future development.