During Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to China from May 19 to 20, the two countries announced new measures to deepen cooperation in the fields of education and tourism, further boosting people-to-people exchanges.

One of the key outcomes of the visit was the launch of the 2026-2027 China-Russia Years of Education, aimed at deepening academic exchange and cooperation between the two countries.

During the visit, leading universities from both countries signed new cooperation agreements. Chinese institutions, including Tsinghua University, Peking University and Harbin Institute of Technology, expanded partnerships with Russian universities such as Saint Petersburg State University and Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.

The cooperation covers areas such as scientific research, engineering education and student training.

Education has also become one of the strongest bridges connecting younger generations in both countries. More than 80,000 Chinese and Russian students are currently studying in each other's countries, according to Xinhua News Agency.

The growing links in education are also being reinforced by easier travel policies. During Putin's visit, China announced that its visa-free arrangements for Russian visitors would be extended through to the end of 2027, while Russia said it would continue its own visa-free policy for Chinese citizens. The move is expected to further boost tourism and cross-border travel, which have already rebounded strongly in recent years.

According to data cited by Russian media, the number of Russian tourists visiting China reached 746,000 in the fourth quarter of 2025 after mutual visa-free travel arrangements were fully implemented, marking a 40 percent year-on-year increase.

Outbound travel has similarly accelerated. In the first quarter of 2026, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Russia rose by 44 percent compared with the same period a year earlier. Landmarks such as Red Square, Winter Palace and Lake Baikal have become especially popular among Chinese travelers.