China-Russia economic ties move toward higher quality, greater efficiency

China-Russia economic cooperation is shifting from an emphasis on scale to higher quality and greater efficiency, with collaboration deepening across industry, energy, environmental protection, services and culture, according to a report.

Heilongjiang University released a report on the development of China-Russia economic cooperation (2025) in Beijing on Saturday.

The report said the structure of bilateral trade is continuing to improve, with high value-added products making up a growing share. Cooperation is increasingly focused on quality and efficiency rather than simply expanding in scale, it said.

Chinese customs data showed that trade in goods between China and Russia totaled $228.10 billion in 2025, exceeding $200 billion for the third consecutive year.

The report said China's strengths in intelligent manufacturing, new energy and artificial intelligence complement Russia's expertise in nuclear energy, aerospace and heavy industry.

The report described energy cooperation as a cornerstone of bilateral trade. The Power of Siberia 1 gas pipeline began operating at full capacity in 2025, while the leaders of China, Russia and Mongolia signed a memorandum on the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline in September, it said.

The Power of Siberia 2 pipeline is designed to carry 50 billion cubic meters of gas a year. Cooperation also deepened in nuclear power, liquefied natural gas and Arctic energy development, while local currencies were used in 99.1 percent of bilateral settlements, the report said.

The report urged the two countries to strengthen technological collaboration, integrate their industrial chains more closely, improve cross-border transport, energy and payment networks, and expand trade in higher-value and green products as well as digital services.

It also recommended using institutional innovation to remove barriers to cooperation and cultivate new growth areas in new energy, smart grids and digital finance, with the aim of broadening and deepening bilateral cooperation while improving its quality.

The university released six other annual reports at the event. More than 100 Russia specialists from over 30 universities and research institutes across China attended.