On February 17, at 10:00 am Moscow time (GMT+3), the Valdai Club and the Center for Russian Studies of the East China Normal University will host an expert discussion, titled “Driving Forces in Russian-Chinese Relations: Unlocking Potential, Improving Quality and Efficiency”.

       Relations between Russia and China have successfully coped with the challenges of the 2020 pandemic crisis. Despite the closure of borders and a reduction in international interaction, trade between the two countries continues to grow and political relations remain at a very high level. The current international situation poses new challenges for bilateral relations. First of all, it is the coordination of the Chinese and Russian positions toward the United States after the Democrats came to power. US policy will continue to seek a split between China and Russia. Europe remains an important partner for Moscow and Beijing. The situation in Central Asia is stable, but it requires the building up of Russian-Chinese cooperation.

       What expectations do Russia and China have of each other amid these conditions? What joint efforts can the countries make to strengthen sustainable strategic cooperation? What global, regional and bilateral tasks can serve to deepen all-round cooperation between the two countries? Participants will answer these and other questions.

       Speakers:

       Feng Shaolei, Director of the Center for Russian Studies, East China Normal University

       Vasily Kashin, Senior Research Fellow, Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies, National Research University Higher School of Economics

       Alexander Lomanov, Deputy Director for Research, Head of the Center for Asia-Pacific Studies, Chief Researcher at the Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO), RAS

       Xing Guangcheng, Academician of the Academy of Public Sciences (APS) of the PRC, Director of the APS Center for Geography and History of the Chinese Border Territories, leading research associate

       Zhang Xin, Deputy Director of the Center for Russian Studies, East China Normal University

       Panelists:

       Bei Wenli, Secretary of CCP Committee Branch, Deputy Dean, School of Advanced International and Area Studies, East China Normal University

       Anastasia Likhacheva, Director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies (CCEIS)

       Fyodor Lukyanov, Research Director of the Valdai Discussion Club

       Qu Wenyi, Professor at the Center for Russian Studies, East China Normal University;

       Wang Haiyan, Executive Director of the Center for the Study of Kazakhstan, East China Normal University.

       Moderator:

       Timofei Bordachev, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club

       Working languages: Russian, Chinese.

       Information for the media! In order to be accredited for the event, fill out the form on our website or call +79269307763.

       A link to the live broadcast of the discussion will be posted on all online platforms used by the Valdai Club: on the website, on Facebook, Vkontakte, Instagram, Telegram, and Twitter.