China, Russia Hold Trade Expo As Putin and Trump Visits Draw Global Attention

China is stepping up economic engagement with Russia by hosting the 10th edition of a major bilateral expo ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s expected trip to Beijing this week – just days after his American counterpart, Donald Trump, visited there last week.

The back-to-back visits to the Chinese capital by two of the world’s most influential leaders highlight an uptick in diplomatic activity as Beijing seeks to stabilise relations with Washington while deepening coordination with Moscow, one of its closest strategic partners.

Against this backdrop, the China-Russia Expo opened on Sunday in Harbin, the capital of China’s northernmost Heilongjiang province, which borders Russia’s Far Eastern Federal District. Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Trutnev read out congratulatory letters from President Xi Jinping and Putin at the opening ceremony.

On Saturday, the two officials also convened the sixth meeting of an intergovernmental cooperation committee focused on collaboration between China’s northeastern provinces and Russia’s Far East region.

The South China Morning Post first reported that Putin would meet Xi following Trump’s visit to the Chinese capital from Wednesday to Friday – the first by a US president in nearly a decade.

Putin’s visit is expected to draw heightened scrutiny, given its timing and rising global volatility. Trade with China has become increasingly important for Russia since sweeping Western sanctions were imposed on Moscow after the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

At the same time, Russian oil and natural gas supplies have helped the world’s second-largest economy cushion against energy disruptions from the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz – a chokepoint for global flows – during the US-Israeli war on Iran.

In April, China’s imports from Russia surged nearly 40 per cent year on year to US$13.54 billion, while exports rose 25 per cent to US$10.16 billion, according to customs data.

Signalling sustained momentum in the partnership, major Chinese energy and infrastructure conglomeratesof China are taking part in the expo.

Also present are representatives from Chinese ministries overseeing transport, commerce and tourism, as well as the National Development and Reform Commission, the country’s top economic planner.

A forum on regional cooperation at the expo has also brought together officials from Heilongjiang and Guangdong provinces, as well as from Russian federal districts and cities such as Vladivostok.