Published on: 2026-06-11
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –
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The Russian pavilion at the International Exhibition Center “Pearl of SCO” in the demonstration zone of SCO in the city of Qingdao, Shandong Province is always full of visitors, and chocolate, candies, and other goods are neatly laid out on the shelves. The head of the pavilion, Svetlana, who has lived in China for 27 years, has gone from being a Russian language teacher at a university to one of the drivers of Russian-Chinese trade and cultural exchanges.
Svetlana’s story with China began in 1999, when she initially taught at the Dalian University of Foreign Languages, and then at other universities. Over more than ten years of working as an educator, she deeply immersed herself in Chinese culture and saw wide prospects for economic cooperation between the two countries. In 2012, she transitioned into business: opening companies in Xiangyang and Shenzhen specializing in Russian-Chinese foreign trade.
In 2018, when the construction of the SCO demonstration zone began in Qingdao, Svetlana was invited to visit and familiarize herself with the local conditions. She was impressed by the favorable geographical location, developed transport network, pleasant climate, and hospitality of the locals. In 2019, she founded a company here that became the first enterprise with foreign capital in the demonstration zone, and later bought housing in Qingdao for herself and her family.
Recalling her entrepreneurial path, Svetlana notes the high level of support from local authorities. From company registration to interaction with specialized departments — at each stage, various agencies were the first to reach out and provide excellent service, which allowed her to see the “amazing Chinese speed and power.” Currently, Svetlana’s company operates on a multiprofile model of “trade + business support + service offerings” and not only exports Chinese goods to CIS countries but also helps foreign companies register in China and enter the Chinese market.
As her business developed, Svetlana began paying more attention to humanitarian exchanges. In the Russian pavilion, she regularly holds festivals, art exhibitions, and cultural salons. She also created the “Russian Club,” which unites more than 300 members who share stories and help each other solve difficult issues.
In Svetlana’s eyes, the SHOS demonstration zone is rapidly changing: a modern airport has been put into operation, the network of roads is expanding, which attracts new companies and talented specialists. Every day Svetlana receives delegations from all over the country, participates in various events, expands her business, and makes many new friends.
Svetlana looks to the future with optimism. Her company is preparing to build a new thematic pavilion, and the business will soon expand beyond Qingdao and cover the entire Shandong province. She intends to continue fostering Russian-Chinese economic, trade, and cultural exchanges, growing together with the demonstration zone of the SCO and taking advantage of the opportunities offered to her by China.
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