China-Russia

A Russian parliamentary delegation led by State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin arrived in China for an official visit, Russia's TASS reported on Monday, noting that the trip will focus on expanding cooperation between the two countries in various areas, including the economy and security.

At the invitation of Zhao Leji, chairman of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, Volodin will lead a delegation to visit China from August 25 to 26, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Sunday.

During the visit, Volodin will attend the 10th meeting of the China-Russia committee for parliamentary cooperation, according to Xinhua.

According to the State Duma press service, the visit includes a series of meetings and the 10th session of the Interparliamentary Commission on Cooperation between the Russian Federal Assembly and the Chinese National People's Congress, per TASS.

The two sides plan to discuss ways to strengthen interparliamentary cooperation between Russia and China and to expand cooperation in various areas, including the economy, security, tourism, culture, education, and science, TASS reported.

The delegation includes Russian lawmakers and senators.

"On the agenda: countering sanctions pressure and external interference; expanding trade and economic ties; defending historical truth; youth exchanges to strengthen humanitarian cooperation," TASS cited Volodin as posting on social media.

Volodin's visit, set against the backdrop of US tariff and trade wars, underscored the importance for Beijing and Moscow to deepen traditional areas of collaboration and take new steps in pragmatic cooperation to ensure that China-Russia economic relations continue to move forward, Yang Jin, an associate research fellow at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times.

The State Duma Speaker's China visit also comes days before Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, which is scheduled to be held on August 31 and September 1 in Chinese city of Tianjin, as well as the grand gathering to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War which is scheduled for September 3. 

China's massive V-Day military parade is meant to signal that the country upholds peace and will firmly defend international fairness and justice, Wu Zeke, deputy director of the Office of the Leading Group for the Military Parade and a senior officer of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission, said last week, per Xinhua.

Yang said that Volodin's visit to China, which includes defending historical truth as part of the agenda, is also likely to help prepare for Russia's participation in the two upcoming events. China's commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory over Japanese aggression and fascism is not only a renewed affirmation of World War II history, but also an important reflection of China and other countries' joint commitment to safeguarding the war's victory.

As key members of the anti-fascist alliance, China and Russia share a common stance in opposing historical nihilism and defending the legacy of World War II, Yang noted.