Senior Chinese legislator attends 7th China-Russia Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Forum

Li Hongzhong, vice chairman of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, attended the opening ceremony of the 7th China-Russia Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Forum in Moscow and paid a visit to Russia's Irkutsk region from Wednesday to Saturday.

During his stay in Russia, Li, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met with Valentina Matviyenko, speaker of the Federation Council of Russia; Ivan Melnikov, first deputy chairman of the State Duma; and Boris Titov, chairman of the Russian side of the China-Russia Committee for Friendship, Peace and Development.

Li, also chairman of the Chinese side of the China-Russia Committee for Friendship, Peace and Development, said that under the strategic guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era has maintained high-level development.

He added that China is willing to work with Russia to fully implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, elevating China-Russia relations to a new stage of higher quality, faster development and greater achievements. The National People's Congress of China is willing to maintain close exchanges and strengthen experience-sharing with the Federation Council of Russia and the State Duma.

This year marks the start of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). Li said that China's high-quality development will provide new opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises from all countries including Russia to expand business in China. The China-Russia Committee for Friendship, Peace and Development will continue to serve as the primary channel for people-to-people exchanges, and work to promote the quality and efficiency of mutually beneficial cooperation between small and medium-sized enterprises from the two sides, and to deepen friendship between the two peoples, carrying forward the enduring friendship between the two countries.

The Russian side noted that President Putin and President Xi have brought Russia-China relations to an all-time high, with vibrant political, economic and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. The Russian side is willing to work with the Chinese side to deepen inter-parliamentary exchanges, enrich the bilateral practical cooperation, and advance the mutually beneficial cooperation across all sectors to a higher level.

During his stay in Russia, Li also visited the venue site of the 6th CPC National Congress in Moscow.