Russian Presidential Aide and Maritime Board Chairman Nikolai Patrushev walks while visiting the Admiralty, on July 26, 2026, in Saint Petersburg, Russia amid the Navy Day celebration. Photo: VCG

Russian Presidential Aide and Chairman of the Maritime Board Nikolai Patrushev will visit China from October 8 to 13. Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi will hold talks and exchanges with him, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on Wednesday.

As China is set to host APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in November and Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to attend the crucial event, Patrushev could be tasked with coordinating positions and conducting in-depth communication ahead of this multilateral meeting during his visit, a Chinese observer said.

In response to Putin's reported remarks concerning his attendance at the APEC meeting, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on October 3 that China welcomes President Putin's attendance at the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Shenzhen this November and stands ready to work with the Russian side for fruitful outcomes of the APEC "China Year."  

Wang Xiaoquan, an expert with the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that both China and Russia are active promoters of the democratization of international relations and a multipolar world. By deepening strategic coordination, China and Russia could roll out more public goods conducive to world peace and stability, enhancing cooperation among the Global South.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination and the 25th anniversary of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation. 

China and Russia have pioneered a new model of major-country relations that adheres to the principles of non-alliance, non-confrontation and not targeting any third party, which offers a valuable reference for a world facing the risks of unilateralism and hegemony, said Cui Heng, a scholar at the Shanghai-based China National Institute for SCO International Exchange and Judicial Cooperation. 

Experts noted that frequent and smooth interactions between China and Russia at various levels and through diverse channels underscore the profound political mutual trust, deeply intertwined practical cooperation and outstanding resilience and stability of the relationship. 

Wang Xiaoquan paid specific attention to Patrushev's role as Chairman of the Maritime Board and background in security affairs. 

According to the Kremlin's website, Patrushev served as Russia's Secretary of the Security Council since 2008 before assuming his current post as Aide to the President in May 2024. 

Wang Xiaoquan said that Russia hopes to deepen cooperation with China on security, the Northern Sea Route and other issues. Attaching great importance to jointly developing the Northern Sea Route with China, Moscow aims to leverage China's investment, vessels and equipment and its market so the route can truly play its strategic role as a key shipping artery.

According to a memorandum signed in November 2025, Russia and China will train specialists for navigation in polar waters. The document reflects the shared commitment of Russia and China to developing a partnership in commercial shipping and to strengthening human resources for the operation of vessels along the Northern Sea Route, according to the Russian Ministry of Transport.