Business programme

Russia–China relations have experienced healthy development this year. In 2022, bilateral trade between the two countries reached an all-time high of $190.271 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 29.3%. China has consistently remained Russia's primary trading partner for 13 consecutive years. Furthermore, the volume of bilateral trade continues to grow, with the scope expanding beyond traditional areas like energy, forestry and agriculture to include many new sectors such as automobiles, household appliances, and food processing. Trade volume saw a steady increase to $53.846 billion in the first quarter of 2023, an increase of 38.7% compared to the same period a year prior. Projects centred around "mutual communication and interconnectivity" have contributed to the well-being of the population. Russia has announced plans to increase grain exports to China through the "Russia-China New Land Grain Corridor," while China has added the port of Vladivostok as a transit port for domestic trade goods. The Blagoveshchensk–Heihe Bridge, the first road bridge connecting Russia and China, and the Tongjiang–Nizhneleninskoye Railway Bridge, the first railway bridge linking the two nations, are now open for traffic. Bilateral cooperation continues to display new areas of growth. Russia-China interregional cooperation activity remains strong, with emerging opportunities for cooperation in many areas, such as information technology, cross-border e-commerce, digital economy, and biopharmaceuticals. At the beginning of the year, the heads of Russia and China signed the "Joint Statement on the Plan to Promote the Key Elements of Russian-Chinese Economic Cooperation until 2030", which identified eight priority areas for collaboration. How can the central authorities, regional administrations, enterprises, and industry associations of Russia and China effectively showcase their capabilities and stimulate the development of cooperation in these eight areas? In the context of a multipolar world and a new macroeconomic landscape, as well as amidst the opportunities and challenges in finance, logistics and other sectors, how can we continue to use existing models while promoting broader, more diversified and deeper cooperation between the two countries?

Moderators
Kirill Babaev, Director, Institute of China and Modern Asia of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Deputy Chairman of the Presidium, National Committe on BRICS Research
Zhou Liqun, Chairman, Union of Chinese Entrepreneurs in Russia

Kirill Babaev

Director, Institute of China and Modern Asia of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Deputy Chairman of the Presidium, National Committe on BRICS Research

Zhou Liqun

Chairman, Union of Chinese Entrepreneurs in Russia

Date of birth: 25 October 1963
Place of birth: People’s Republic of China, province of Heilongjiang
Academic degree: PhD
Marital status: married, two children
09.1982 – 07.1998 Bachelor’s degree in electric engineering, Department of Electric Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (China)
09.1986 – 06.1989 Master’s degree in electric engineering, Department of Electric Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (China)
09.1989 – 12.1992 Internship in electric engineering as part of a state programme, Department of Electric Engineering, Moscow Power Engineering Institute (Russia), PhD
12.1992 – 10.1998 General Director of Moscow branch, SINOCHEM;
10.1998 – 2010 President, Apex (HK) Petrochemical; Deputy General Director, Hong Kong Winsway Group (specializing in international trade of petroleum products and petrochemicals);
08.2010 – 04.2017 Deputy General Director, China Chengtong International Investment, responsible for international trade;
04.2017 – present General Director, Centre for Development of Trade and Management of Investment to Europe; General Director, Greenwood.
08.2017 – present President, Union of Chinese Entrepreneurs in Russia.
Public work: member of the acting 12th National Political Committee, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Vice President of Society for Chinese-Russian friendship, Deputy Chairman of the CIS branch of the Society of Chinese Graduates of European and US universities, President of the Association of entrepreneurs-graduates of CIS universities, permanent Deputy Chairman of the Association of entrepreneurs-graduates of European and US universities.

Panellists
Oleg Belozerov, Chief Executive Officer – Chairman of the Executive Board, Russian Railways
Alexey Gruzdev, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
Eugeny Markin, Executive Director, Russian-Chinese Business Council
Boris Mordovkin, General Director, Production and Construction Company Sakhalin
Vladimir Padalko, Vice President, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation
Andrey Severilov, Chairman of the Board, FESCO
Vladimir Solodov, Governor of Kamchatka Territory
Zhang Hanhui, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to the Russian Federation
Ren Hongbin, Chairman, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade; Chairman, Chinese-Russian Business Council (online)
Dai Hegen, Chairman of the Board of Directors, China National Chemical Engineering Co Ltd
Alexey Chekunkov, Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic
Hu Zhirong, Chairman of the Board, Kai Xin Rong Group Co Ltd
Zhang Yu Jing, President, China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (CCCME) (online)

Oleg Belozerov

Chief Executive Officer – Chairman of the Executive Board, Russian Railways

Born on 26 September 1969.
Graduated from St. Petersburg University of Economics and Finance in 1992, majoring in economics, industrial planning.

1998-2000 – OJSC Lenenergo, Deputy Commercial Director, Commercial Director, Head, Department of Equipment & Technical Procurement and Transport.
2000-2000 – OJSC Freight Motor Company No.21, Deputy Director.
2000-2001 – Office of the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the North-West Federal District, Head of the Financial and Economic Department.
2001-2002 – OJSC LOMO, Deputy Director, Management of Corporate Property.
2002-2004 – OJSC Russian Fuel Company, Managing Director.
July 2004-November 2004 – Deputy Head, Federal Road Agency.
November, 2004-March, 2009 – Head, Federal Road Agency.
March 2009 – Appointed Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation
August 2011 – Assigned Class Rank – Active State Advisor of the Russian Federation 1 class.
2015 – Appointed First Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation in accordance with Decree No. 844-r issued by the Government of the Russian Federation on 11 May 2015.
2015 – Appointed President of OJSC Russian Railways in accordance with Decree 1606-r issued by the Government of the Russian Federation on 20 August 2015.
2017 – Chief Executive Officer – Chairman of the Executive Board.

Recognised for his services by numerous state and industry awards:
2003 – Medal "In memory of the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg";
2004 – Badge "Honorary Worker of the Fuel and Energy Complex";
2005 – Medal "In memory of the 1,000th anniversary of Kazan";
2006 – Thanks from the President of the Russian Federation;
2006 – Medal of the Order "For Services to the Fatherland" 1st Class;
2009 – Jubilee Lapel Badge "In memory of the 200th anniversary of the Office of Water and Land Communications";
2010 – Medal of Honor;
2011 – Honorary Diploma of the Executive Office of the Government of the Russian Federation;
2012 – Badge of Merit "For Services in Strengthening Cooperation with the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation";
2012 – Lapel badge "Honorary Road Builder of Russia";
2013 – Honorary Certificate of the Chamber of Accounts of the Russian Federation;
2014 – Badge "Honorary Worker of Transport of Russia";
2014 – Medal "The Federation Council. 20 Years";
2014 – Order "For Services to the Fatherland" IV Class;
2014 – Honorary Certificate of the President of the Russian Federation;
2016 – Medal of the Order of Glory and Honour of the Russian Orthodox Church I Class;
2019 – Order "For Services to the Fatherland" III Class;
2019 – Gratitude of the Government of the Russian Federation for "the labour success achieved and many years of conscientious work".

Oleg Belozerov is:
• the Member of the Board and the Member of Board Office of
• the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs;
• the Chairman of the Commission on Transportation and Transport Infrastructure of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs;
• the Co-Chairman of the Business Cooperation Council Russia - France;
• the Chairman of the Coordinating Council on Trans-Siberian Transportation (CCTT) International Association;
• the Chairman of the Commonwealth of Independent States Council for Railway Transport;
• the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of GEFCO;
• the Member of Conference of General Directors (authorized representatives) of the Organization for Co-operation between Railways (OSJD);
• the Member of the guardian council of the Russian Geographical Society.

Alexey Gruzdev

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation

Eugeny Markin

Executive Director, Russian-Chinese Business Council

EDUCATION

1981–1992 — Secondary School No. 9 with depth study of the Chinese language, Vladivostok.
1992–1997 — Far Eastern State Academy of Economics and Management, Vladivostok. Qualification – Economist, specialty – External relations, economics and enterprise management.
2004–2010 — Sretenskaya Theological Seminary.
2007–2010 — Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Faculty of International Relations. Qualification – “International Relations”.
2011 — Awarded with the civil service rank “Active State Advisor of the III class”.

JOB EXPERIENCE

2006–2012 — Administration of the Primorsky Territory of the Russian Federation. Assistant to the Governor of the Primorsky Territory.
2012–2013 — Ministry of Regional Development of the Russian Federation – Assistant to the Minister of Regional Development of the Russian Federation – Chief of Staff to the Minister.
2013–2020 — STROYGAZMONTAZH JSC – Advisor to the Director-General for Cooperation with the Asia-Pacific Region.
January 2010 until now — International Relations Assistant to Metropolitan of Pskov and Porkhov Tikhon (Shevkunov) – Secretary of the Patriarchal Council for Culture, Co-Chairman of the Church-Public Council for Protection from the Alcohol Threat.
20.01.2021 – until now — NP “Russian-Chinese Business Council” – Executive Director, Member of the Governing Board.

Boris Mordovkin

General Director, Production and Construction Company Sakhalin

Born on August 26, 1972 in Vladivostok.
Entrepreneur. University diplomas in Commerce and Law.
Starting from 2001, Advisor to the Manager of the Pension Fund in Primorsky Region.
Member of the Management Board, Pensioners Union of Primorsky Region.
Chairman of the Management Board, Sotsialnaya Activnost Public Movement.
CEO, Sakhalin Industrial Warehouse Complex
Married, with three children.

Vladimir Padalko

Vice President, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation

Vladimir Padalko is an entrepreneur and formerly a USSR overseas trade specialist.
He has a diploma in Economics and is fluent in several foreign languages.
His main focus is foreign trade with countries in East Asia.
In 1990-s Vladimir Padalko was one of Russia’s pioneers in China and Hong Kong markets.
He got his second degree in Beijing.
Joined Russian Chamber of Industry and Commerce in 1995. Between 1996–2012, Vladimir Padalko represented RCIC abroad a number of times, including his position of the Head of RCIC regional office in East Asia.
He has been actively creating common economic space between Russia and the countries of Central Asia and the Pacific Rim. Represented RCIC in intergovernmental commissions with Asian countries, as well as expert councils of international entrepreneurial organizations.
Joined RCIC top management in July 2012.

Andrey Severilov

Chairman of the Board, FESCO

Has been a member of the Board of Directors of FESCO since November 2020.
Andrey Severilov is a professional investor in industrial and financial assets, a shareholder in CB LOCKO-Bank, Siberian Titan and TomskAzot.
Graduated from the prosecutorial and investigative department of the Military University of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

Vladimir Solodov

Governor of Kamchatka Territory

Zhang Hanhui

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to the Russian Federation

Ren Hongbin

Chairman, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade; Chairman, Chinese-Russian Business Council

Alexey Chekunkov

Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic

Alexey Chekunkov has been the head of the Far East Development Fund since October, 2014.In 2013-2014 Alexey managed his own investment company PAMIR Capital before appointment to the position of the Far East Development Fund Chief Executive Officer. In 2011-2013 he worked as a Director, Member of the Management Board and Investment Committee in the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF). Mr. Chekunkov was responsible for investments in healthcare, energy saving, raw materials sector as well as for establishing of the Russian-Chinese Investment Fund with 2 billion dollars capital. In 2009-2011 Alexey managed his own investment company New Nations Capital (venture capital investments, investment banking). In 2006-2009 he worked in the position of Managing Director in the investment company United Gold Company (UGC), being a part of Alfa-Group consortium.In 2003-2006 he was Vice-President in Delta Private Equity, one of the leading private equity companies in Russia, managing over 500 million dollars capital. He participated in a number of landmark deals including sale of Delta Bank, of TV channels STS and TV-3, of the National Cable Networks holding, of the company Compulink. In 2002-2003 Mr. Chekunkov took part in consolidation of gold-mining assets in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) as the Projects Director in the Investment Group Alrosa. On November 10, 2020, by decree of the President of the Russian Federation, he was appointed Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic.

Front row participants
Dmitry Prokhorenko, Director Development Overseas Network, Russian Export Center
Sergey Sanakoev, Deputy Chairman, Russian-Chinese Friendship Society; Deputy Chairman, Russian Part of the Business Council of the Far East of the Russian Federation and the North-East of the People's Republic of China; Member of the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC)

Sergey Sanakoev

Deputy Chairman, Russian-Chinese Friendship Society; Deputy Chairman, Russian Part of the Business Council of the Far East of the Russian Federation and the North-East of the People's Republic of China; Member of the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC)

President of the Asia Pacific reserch centre
RIAC member
Expert of the Russian-Chinese Commission for the preparation of regular meetings of the heads of government of Russia and China.
Deputy Chairman of the Russian-Chinese Friendship Society.
Deputy Secretary General of the Eurasian Peoples' Assembly.
Deputy Chairman of the Business Council of the Russian Far East and Northeast China.
1995–2012 - Vice-President of the New Age Association.
1998–2012 - Chairman of the Board of JSC "Russian-Chinese Center for Trade and Economic Cooperation" since its foundation in 1998. The Russian-Chinese Center for Trade and Economic Cooperation (RCC) was established by the RSPP.
2007–2015 - Executive Secretary of the Russian-Chinese Chamber for the Promotion of Trade in Machinery and Innovative Products.
2012–2014 - Assistant to the Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East on international issues.
Since 2015 - President of the Russian-Chinese Analytical Center, President of the Russian-Chinese Analytical Center.
Since 2016 - President of the ANO Center for Research and Forecasts of the Development of the Asia-Pacific Region, President of the Baikal Region Development Fund.