A key focus of the business programme at the fourth International Forum “SPROUTS: Russia and China – Mutually Beneficial Cooperation”, which will be held in Kazan on 16-19 August, 2026, will be the development of direct cooperation between Russian regions and Chinese provinces. Experts, business representatives, and government officials will discuss how interregional cooperation helps increase trade turnover, launch joint ventures, and create new growth opportunities for the Russian-Chinese economy.
The relevance of this topic is confirmed by the dynamics of bilateral trade. From January to May 2026, trade turnover between Russia and China increased by 22.9%, reaching $109.5 billion. Experts note that, following the adjustment of these figures in 2025, Russian-Chinese cooperation is once again demonstrating sustainable growth and high potential for further development.
Tatarstan holds a special place in this work, remaining one of the most active Russian regions in the Chinese direction. The Republic maintains agreements on trade, economic, scientific, technical, humanitarian, and cultural cooperation with the provinces of Shandong, Hunan, Sichuan, Anhui, Heilongjiang, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and the city of Chongqing. In 2025, a Memorandum of understanding was signed with Hubei Province, opening up new opportunities for the development of bilateral projects.
Forum participants will discuss best practices for cooperation based on the region-province working model, which allows for collaboration tailored to the specific specialisations of specific territories. Petrochemicals, mechanical engineering, industrial equipment, agro-industrial complex, logistics, digital technologies, robotics, electronics, healthcare, and pharmaceuticals are among the most promising areas.
Experts note that regional and provincial cooperation is currently becoming one of the most effective tools for developing Russian-Chinese cooperation. This format allows for the establishment of long-term ties between industrial centres, the development of joint investment projects, the creation of new logistics routes, and the formation of sustainable cooperation chains.
“The Chinese economy is highly regionally structured. Each province has its own industrial specialisation, its own trade promotion agencies, its own business community, industrial parks, and logistics capabilities. Therefore, region-province agreements allow for faster access not to the abstract Chinese market, but to specific partners, specific sites, and specific supply chains. This is especially logical for Tatarstan. The Republic itself is a strong industrial region, so it is easier for it to establish substantive discussions with those Chinese provinces that have comparable or complementary competencies,” noted Sergey Katyrin, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation.
Media accreditation for the International Forum "SPROUTS: Russia and China – Mutually Beneficial Cooperation" is open until 7 August via the link.
Participant registration for the Forum is available via the link.
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The International Forum “SPROUTS: Russia and China – Mutually Beneficial Cooperation” will be held in Kazan on 16-19 August.
The business programme includes such areas as interstate dialogue, economics, industry, education, business and entrepreneurship, business associations, finance and investment, culture, media, law, transport, agriculture, tourism, and construction.
The SPROUTS Business Forum has reinforced its standing as a leading international platform by receiving the EFEA Awards and by being named both a laureate and a finalist of the prestigious Russian Event Awards international prize.
The operator for the preparation and hosting the “SPROUTS” Forum is the “Directorate of International Programmes”, ANO.
Official website of the “SPROUTS” Forum
The relevance of this topic is confirmed by the dynamics of bilateral trade. From January to May 2026, trade turnover between Russia and China increased by 22.9%, reaching $109.5 billion. Experts note that, following the adjustment of these figures in 2025, Russian-Chinese cooperation is once again demonstrating sustainable growth and high potential for further development.
Tatarstan holds a special place in this work, remaining one of the most active Russian regions in the Chinese direction. The Republic maintains agreements on trade, economic, scientific, technical, humanitarian, and cultural cooperation with the provinces of Shandong, Hunan, Sichuan, Anhui, Heilongjiang, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and the city of Chongqing. In 2025, a Memorandum of understanding was signed with Hubei Province, opening up new opportunities for the development of bilateral projects.
Forum participants will discuss best practices for cooperation based on the region-province working model, which allows for collaboration tailored to the specific specialisations of specific territories. Petrochemicals, mechanical engineering, industrial equipment, agro-industrial complex, logistics, digital technologies, robotics, electronics, healthcare, and pharmaceuticals are among the most promising areas.
Experts note that regional and provincial cooperation is currently becoming one of the most effective tools for developing Russian-Chinese cooperation. This format allows for the establishment of long-term ties between industrial centres, the development of joint investment projects, the creation of new logistics routes, and the formation of sustainable cooperation chains.
“The Chinese economy is highly regionally structured. Each province has its own industrial specialisation, its own trade promotion agencies, its own business community, industrial parks, and logistics capabilities. Therefore, region-province agreements allow for faster access not to the abstract Chinese market, but to specific partners, specific sites, and specific supply chains. This is especially logical for Tatarstan. The Republic itself is a strong industrial region, so it is easier for it to establish substantive discussions with those Chinese provinces that have comparable or complementary competencies,” noted Sergey Katyrin, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation.
Media accreditation for the International Forum "SPROUTS: Russia and China – Mutually Beneficial Cooperation" is open until 7 August via the link.
Participant registration for the Forum is available via the link.
*****
The International Forum “SPROUTS: Russia and China – Mutually Beneficial Cooperation” will be held in Kazan on 16-19 August.
The business programme includes such areas as interstate dialogue, economics, industry, education, business and entrepreneurship, business associations, finance and investment, culture, media, law, transport, agriculture, tourism, and construction.
The SPROUTS Business Forum has reinforced its standing as a leading international platform by receiving the EFEA Awards and by being named both a laureate and a finalist of the prestigious Russian Event Awards international prize.
The operator for the preparation and hosting the “SPROUTS” Forum is the “Directorate of International Programmes”, ANO.
Official website of the “SPROUTS” Forum