Chinese, Russian top legislators meet for enhancing parliamentary cooperation

Zhao Leji, chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, holds talks with Chairman of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin in Moscow, Russia, May 28, 2026. At the invitation of Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko and Chairman of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin, China's top legislator Zhao Leji paid an official goodwill visit to Russia from Wednesday to Saturday, and attended the 11th meeting of the China-Russia committee for parliamentary cooperation in Moscow. [Photo byRao Aimin/Xinhua]

MOSCOW, May 30 (Xinhua) -- At the invitation of Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko and Chairman of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin, China's top legislator Zhao Leji paid an official goodwill visit to Russia from Wednesday to Saturday.

During the visit, Zhao, chairman of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, held talks with Matviyenko and Volodin, respectively, and attended the 11th meeting of the China-Russia committee for parliamentary cooperation in Moscow.

In his talks with Matviyenko and Volodin, Zhao said that under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, 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, and to carry forward China-Russia traditional friendship, enhance mutual strategic trust, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and integration of interests, and promote higher-quality development of bilateral relations, said Zhao.

Zhao said that legislative bodies of China and Russia, 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 bilateral ties.

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.

For her part, Matviyenko said the two heads of state have led the Russia-China relationship to the best in history, adding that the Russian Federation Council 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.

Volodin expressed willingness 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 the World War II, he said.

At the 11th meeting of the China-Russia committee for parliamentary cooperation on Thursday, Zhao said the legislative bodies of both countries should keep implementing the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, cooperation documents and major projects.

He said both sides should promptly approve and supervise the implementation of legal documents conducive to bilateral cooperation, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises.

Zhao also called on both sides to actively participate in activities such as the China-Russia Years of Education to deepen cultural exchanges, leverage the active role of local legislative bodies to expand local cooperation, and enhance coordination within multilateral frameworks to promote international fairness and justice.

During the visit, Zhao toured a photo exhibition commemorating the 25th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation, and an exhibition on the site of the 6th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in Moscow.

Zhao laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow. He also visited Irkutsk.

Zhao Leji, chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, meets with Igor Kobzev, governor of Russia's Irkutsk region, and Aleksandr Vedernikov, chairman of the Legislative Assembly of the Irkutsk region, in Irkutsk, Russia, May 30, 2026. At the invitation of Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko and Chairman of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin, China's top legislator Zhao Leji paid an official goodwill visit to Russia from Wednesday to Saturday, and attended the 11th meeting of the China-Russia committee for parliamentary cooperation in Moscow. [Photo byZhang Ling/Xinhua]

Zhao Leji, chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, visits an exhibition on the site of the 6th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in Moscow, Russia, May 28, 2026. At the invitation of Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko and Chairman of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin, China's top legislator Zhao Leji paid an official goodwill visit to Russia from Wednesday to Saturday, and attended the 11th meeting of the China-Russia committee for parliamentary cooperation in Moscow.[Photo by Rao Aimin/Xinhua]

Zhao Leji, chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow, Russia, May 27, 2026. At the invitation of Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko and Chairman of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin, China's top legislator Zhao Leji paid an official goodwill visit to Russia from Wednesday to Saturday, and attended the 11th meeting of the China-Russia committee for parliamentary cooperation in Moscow.[Photo by Rao Aimin/Xinhua]

Zhao Leji, chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, and Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko attend the 11th meeting of the China-Russia committee for parliamentary cooperation in Moscow, Russia, May 28, 2026. At the invitation of Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko and Chairman of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin, China's top legislator Zhao Leji paid an official goodwill visit to Russia from Wednesday to Saturday, and attended the 11th meeting of the China-Russia committee for parliamentary cooperation in Moscow. [Photo by Zhang Ling/Xinhua]

Zhao Leji, chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, and Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko attend the 11th meeting of the China-Russia committee for parliamentary cooperation in Moscow, Russia, May 28, 2026. At the invitation of Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko and Chairman of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin, China's top legislator Zhao Leji paid an official goodwill visit to Russia from Wednesday to Saturday, and attended the 11th meeting of the China-Russia committee for parliamentary cooperation in Moscow.[Photo by Zhang Ling/Xinhua]