From May 27 to 30, 2026, local time, at the invitation of Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Valentina Matvienko and  Chairman of the State Duma of Russia Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Zhao Leji paid an official goodwill visit to Russia. In Moscow, he held talks with Valentina Matvienko and Vyacheslav Volodin respectively, and attended the 11th Meeting of the China-Russia Committee for Parliamentary Cooperation.

During his separate talks with Valentina Matvienko and Vyacheslav Volodin, Zhao Leji stated that under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era has maintained a high level of development. Last week, President Vladimir Putin paid a successful state visit to China, during which the two heads of state held in-depth, friendly, and fruitful talks, and signed the joint statement on further strengthening comprehensive strategic coordination and deepening good‑neighborliness and friendly cooperation between China and Russia. The China-Russia relationship has entered a new stage of greater achievements and faster development. China is willing to work with Russia to fully implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state. Taking the 30th anniversary of the China‑Russia strategic partnership of coordination, and the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Good‑Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation Between China and Russia as an opportunity, both sides should carry forward traditional friendship, enhance mutual strategic trust, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and integration of interests, and promote higher-quality development of bilateral relations.

Zhao Leji stated that the exchange mechanisms between the legislative bodies of China and Russia have been increasingly improved, playing a significant role in optimizing the legal environment for bilateral cooperation and consolidating the public opinion foundation of the bilateral relations. The legislative bodies of China and Russia should, based on their respective functions and responsibilities, maintain the positive momentum of multi-level and multi-sector exchanges, enhance mutual understanding and trust, strengthen communication and mutual learning so as to better serve the development of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era. The two sides should exchange legislative experience in such areas as national security, ecological and environmental protection, artificial intelligence, and foreign-related rule of law.

Valentina Matvienko stated that the two heads of state have led the Russia-China relationship to the best in history. The Russian Federation Council of the Federal Assembly is always committed to promoting the development of the Russia-China comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era, and deepening the friendship between the two peoples. It is willing to strengthen exchanges with China’s NPC to provide legal support for promoting practical cooperation in areas including economy and trade, investment, energy, culture, transportation and regional affairs.

Vyacheslav Volodin stated that Russia-China relations serve as a model for major-country relations in the 21st century. Promoting friendship and cooperation between Russia and China is the firm consensus of all political parties in the State Duma of Russia. He expressed the hope to work with China to enhance exchanges and mutual learning between legislative bodies in fields such as artificial intelligence. Russia firmly adheres to the one-China principle and is ready to strengthen multilateral cooperation with China to jointly defend the victorious outcome of World War II.

On May 28, Zhao Leji attended the 11th Meeting of the China-Russia Committee for Parliamentary Cooperation. He pointed out that the legislative bodies of both countries should follow the guidance of head-of-state diplomacy and keep implementing the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, cooperation documents and major projects. Both sides should promptly approve and supervise the implementation of legal documents conducive to bilateral cooperation, create a transparent, fair, and stable business environment, protect the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises, and provide legal safeguards for practical bilateral cooperation. Both sides should also actively participate in activities such as the China-Russia Years of Education to deepen cultural exchanges and consolidate the public opinion foundation for China-Russia friendship. They should make good use of existing mechanisms and platforms, leverage the active role of local legislative bodies to expand local cooperation, and enhance coordination within multilateral frameworks such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union to promote international fairness and justice.

During his visit to Russia, Zhao Leji toured a photo exhibition commemorating the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Good‑Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation Between China and Russia, and an exhibition on the site of the 6th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in Moscow, and laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow. In Irkutsk, he met with Governor of the Irkutsk Region Igor Kobzev and Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of the Irkutsk region Aleksandr Vedernikov, expressing the hope to strengthen practical local cooperation, enhance people-to-people friendship, and inject vigorous vitality into bilateral relations.