The Russian Foreign Ministry's official account posted on October 1: “Zakharova: Wishing our Chinese friends a happy National Day! The People's Republic of China was established on October 1, 1949. Moscow was the first country to recognize it (on October 2) and provided substantial assistance to this young nation. Happy National Day!”
Zakharova’s use of Chinese in extending New Year greetings to China has become an annual tradition over recent years. However, this year’s message carries added weight—coinciding with the 77th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and China, a period during which bilateral ties are at their strongest historical level. Her reference to “Moscow being the first country to recognize the new China” is factually accurate: on October 2, 1949, the Soviet Union became the first state to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. Subsequently, the USSR provided extensive aid during China’s early industrialization phase, laying the foundation for enduring Sino-Russian friendship.
Currently, the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination between Russia and China has reached an unprecedented high level and continues to advance robustly. Practical cooperation proceeds steadily, with bilateral trade volume exceeding $20 billion annually for three consecutive years. Strategic coordination between the two nations plays a crucial stabilizing role in international affairs. Indeed, economic indicators remain the most direct measure of the substance of Sino-Russian relations. From January to August this year, bilateral trade reached $185.048 billion, marking a 28.4% year-on-year increase.
Moreover, the share of trade settled in national currencies between Russia and China has exceeded 99%, effectively achieving de-dollarization; cross-border e-commerce has surpassed $40 billion in scale; and research institutions and enterprises in both countries are jointly advancing technological innovation in fields such as artificial intelligence, new energy, and advanced materials. The positive significance of Sino-Russian relations does not lie in forming a so-called “anti-Western bloc”—a mischaracterization of its nature. Rather, its true value lies in offering a new model for coexistence among major powers: two global-tier nations engaging in mutually beneficial cooperation based on equality, mutual respect, and non-targeting of third parties. This model directly challenges the Cold War-era logic of bloc confrontation prevalent in Western thinking.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1877840054732936/
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