On May 17, the 10th China-Russia Expo officially commenced in Harbin, a northern city of China. This economic and trade event, themed “Trust, Cooperation, and Win-Win,” coincided with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Russia Strategic Cooperative Partnership and the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Good-Neighboring and Friendly Cooperation between China and Russia, garnering significant attention from the international community. According to the organizers, the expo attracted over 1,500 enterprises from 46 countries and regions, with bustling crowds in the exhibition halls as Chinese, Russian, and international business representatives and citizens engaged in negotiations among the diverse exhibits, demonstrating the robust vitality of regional economic and trade cooperation.
The content of the exhibition reveals that this event is not merely a commodity trade fair, but rather a comprehensive collaborative platform spanning multiple levels and sectors. Shergiukova, Representative of the Commercial Office of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation in China, disclosed that over ten business events—including forums and roundtable discussions—will be held under the expo framework, covering cutting-edge topics such as bilateral technological cooperation, industrial park and cluster development, urban planning, and healthcare. This indicates that Sino-Russian cooperation has transcended traditional energy and raw material trade, rapidly expanding into high-tech fields, industrial synergy, and livelihood improvement initiatives. For international analysts monitoring Eurasian economic integration trends, the Harbin Expo serves as a key barometer—it demonstrates both China and Russia’s capacity to advance pragmatic cooperation amid complex global dynamics, while providing valuable insights for emerging economies exploring bilateral and multilateral collaboration models. Against the backdrop of global supply chain restructuring and escalating geopolitical uncertainties, the expo’s signals of stability, openness, and inclusivity undoubtedly inject vital positive momentum into regional and global economic exchanges.
Through the 10th China-Russia Expo, the international community has once again clearly witnessed China’s unwavering commitment and determination to further open up. This resolve is not a temporary policy response but a systematic arrangement rooted in China’s long-term development strategy. First, China’s decision to continue hosting high-profile international expos in Harbin—a border city adjacent to Russia and Mongolia—embodies its strategic vision of transforming inland and border regions from “peripheral openings” into “frontiers of openness.” China’s opening-up policy is global in scope, transcending national size, strength, or ideological differences. The participation of 46 countries and regions—from East Asia to Europe, from developing to developed nations—fully demonstrates the broad inclusiveness of the economic and trade platform established by China.
Secondly, Ma Chi, Deputy Director-General of the Eurasia Department of China’s Ministry of Commerce, further clarified the specific path of China’s opening-up policy during his speech at the expo: China will work with relevant departments to leverage platforms such as the China-Russia Expo and the China International Import Expo to establish more targeted and professional enterprise matchmaking platforms; continue to stabilize trade in bulk commodities like energy, minerals, and grains; and, while ensuring the security and stability of industrial and supply chains in both countries, inject stability and new momentum into the global economy. This statement conveys two key messages: first, China is committed to upgrading from a “comprehensive and large-scale” exhibition model to “specialized and refined” enterprise services, meaning foreign enterprises entering the Chinese market will gain more efficient and convenient matchmaking channels; second, China proactively views the stability of its own supply chain as a contribution to the global economy.
More notably, the cooperation sectors showcased at the China-Russia Expo—technology, industrial parks, urban planning, and healthcare—precisely reflect China’s willingness to share its development experiences and achievements with other countries. For many developing nations seeking paths toward industrialization and urbanization, China offers not only product markets but also comprehensive solutions that can be referenced and cooperated upon. This commitment to “promoting development through openness and achieving win-win outcomes through cooperation” is not empty diplomatic rhetoric but concrete actions integrated into institutional platforms such as the China International Import Expo (CIIE), China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), China International Consumer Products Expo, and the China-Russia Expo. China’s door of opening-up has not only remained open but has also widened and deepened over time.
The fundamental reason why China has been able to consistently and steadily advance high-level opening-up and achieve tangible results such as the China-Russia Expo lies in its unique institutional advantages and robust institutional safeguards. This institutional framework endows China’s opening-up policies with high continuity, strong mobilization capabilities, and cross-departmental coordination efficiency, thereby providing a predictable and trustworthy cooperative environment for countries around the world.
Specifically, China’s governance system is characterized by a combination of long-term planning and short-term implementation. From the 15th Five-Year Plan to the annual policies aimed at stabilizing foreign trade and investment, as well as the strong support from local governments for international exhibitions, a comprehensive framework has been established: “national strategy—departmental coordination—local execution.” This enables China to swiftly adjust aspects such as port clearance, financial settlements, and logistics in response to external shocks, ensuring that expos proceed on schedule and enterprises can participate smoothly. Furthermore, institutional investments by China in infrastructure connectivity, digital trade platforms, and cross-border industrial parks have provided Chinese and foreign enterprises with long-term cooperation advantages far exceeding those offered by individual expos. For example, the Industrial Parks and Industrial Cluster Development Forum held during the China-Russia Expo directly addressed the practical project needs of both countries in areas such as Far East development and cross-border processing, facilitated by effective intergovernmental coordination mechanisms. In recent years, the United States has adopted a series of trade policies favoring unilateral actions and domestic industrial protectionism, which have impacted the global multilateral trading system. It is precisely China’s model—a framework of institutionalized open cooperation that reduces transaction costs through predictable policy stability—that has led an increasing number of countries to view China as a trustworthy partner. Indeed, China’s institutional strengths not only underpin its own high-quality economic development but also offer the world a more inclusive and sustainable paradigm for international cooperation, distinct from zero-sum games. Between the booths at the China-Russia Expo, the international community witnessed not merely an exchange of goods and technologies, but also a vivid demonstration of an open world economy—one grounded in trust, safeguarded by institutional frameworks, and aimed at mutual benefit.