Published on: 2026-10-19
Source: Government of the Russian Federation –
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In Saint Petersburg, under the leadership of the Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation Tatyana Golikova and Member of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Shen Yiqin, the 27th meeting of the Russian-Chinese Commission on Humanitarian Cooperation was held. Representatives of the relevant departments participated in the meeting. The parties discussed the results achieved and identified directions for further joint work in the fields of education, culture, cinematography, healthcare, sports, tourism, media, archival affairs, and youth policy. The event took place at the Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.
The 27th commission meeting is aimed at implementing the tasks set by the heads of state and precedes the 31st regular meeting of the heads of government, being one of the important stages of its preparation.
“Humanitarian cooperation between Russia and China is developing in line with the tasks set by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and the Chairman of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping. Thanks to the leaders of the two countries, Russian-Chinese relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction have reached an unprecedentedly high level and continue to develop based on the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation, whose 25th anniversary we marked this year. Looking back, one cannot help but emphasize how consonant the ideas enshrined a quarter of a century ago turned out to be with the fundamental principles that define Russian-Chinese relations today. And I consider it important to note that mutual efforts in the field of humanitarian cooperation played a special role in this,” said Tatyana Golikova in her opening remarks.
The Deputy Prime Minister noted that a landmark event that opened a new chapter in the history of educational ties between the two countries was the historic decision by the state leaders to hold the Years of Russian-Chinese Cooperation in Education in 2026–2027. Since the launch of this large-scale project within the Russian agenda, more than 90 initiatives have already been implemented.
“Holding thematic years between Russia and China has become a stable and positive tradition. For 20 years now, this effective tool of interaction has allowed us to strengthen both the social and spiritual foundations of Russian-Chinese relations, as well as the friendship and mutual understanding between our peoples,” said the Deputy Prime Minister.
She emphasized that connections between Russian and Chinese universities are expanding, the number of school exchanges is growing, and joint educational organizations are being established. The flagship project – the MSU-PPI University in Shenzhen – is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. China is a leader among the top ten key countries in terms of the volume of inter-university agreements concluded with Russia. To date, there are already over 7,000 such agreements.
The dialogue in the field of culture and cinematography shows excellent dynamics. In 2026, large-scale joint events were held, such as the Festival of Russian Culture in China, exchange film festivals, as well as the Russian-Chinese Fair of Culture and Art. The joint Russian-Chinese film “Black Silk” is expected to be released.
As Tatiana Golikova noted, specialized agencies in the healthcare sector cooperate effectively. Cooperation is developing in the field of prevention and treatment of non-communicable diseases, particularly oncology. Over two and a half years, demand for Russian medicine from Chinese citizens has increased significantly: the number of patients has grown by 32%.
A vivid example of constructive interaction is sports. This year, the number of Russian athletes traveling to China to participate in competitions and training has exceeded 3,000 people, which is 10% more than last year’s figure.
After the introduction of the visa-free regime, the number of mutual trips is rapidly increasing. The number of trips last year surpassed the 3 million mark. In the first half of 2026, it grew by another one and a half times compared to the same period last year.
Cooperation in the information sphere is being strengthened, ensuring truthful, objective, and fair coverage of major events.
Particular attention is paid to preserving the overall historical memory. Work continues on the preparation of joint historical-documentary exhibitions and publications.
“We have made an important decision – to create a new subcommittee within the commission for cooperation in the social sphere. It will address issues of social security, birthrate, support for the elderly, and people with disabilities. This new direction of bilateral cooperation directly concerns every family,” emphasized Tatyana Golikova.
The following documents were signed following the meeting:
1. Minutes of the 27th meeting of the Russia-China Commission on Humanitarian Cooperation.
2. Minutes of the 26th meeting of the subcommittee on cooperation in education.
3. Protocol of the 26th meeting of the subcommission on cooperation in the field of culture.
4. Minutes of the 19th meeting of the subcommittee on cooperation in cinematography.
5. Minutes of the 26th meeting of the Subcommittee on Health Cooperation.
6. Minutes of the 23rd meeting of the subcommittee on cooperation in the field of tourism.
7. Minutes of the 19th meeting of the subcommittee on media cooperation.
8. Minutes of the 10th meeting of the subcommission on cooperation in the field of archives.
9. Minutes of the 16th meeting of the subcommittee on cooperation in youth policy.
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