A working meeting between Murmansk Region Governor Andrey Chibis and the Consul General of the People's Republic of China in St. Petersburg, Luo Zhanhui, took place on April, 1 in Murmansk. The discussion was also attended by regional department heads, representatives of the Chinese consulate, and members of the Chinese business community. The primary focus of the meeting was on expanding cooperation in various fields.
"I am pleased to welcome partners and friends of our country to the Murmansk region. We have many areas for collaboration and significant opportunities in logistics and port infrastructure, particularly with the development of the Northern Sea Route. Over the past five years, trade turnover between Murmansk Region and China has increased 7.2 times. These are not just numbers—they reflect deep integration and the expansion of bilateral cooperation. China is now the region’s second-largest foreign trade partner. Recently, Murmansk hosted the International Arctic Forum, where Russian President Vladimir Putin outlined key priorities for Arctic development, including resource extraction and processing, the creation of mineral resource centers, and investment in improving people’s quality of life. Clearly, we have vast opportunities for cooperation," Governor Chibis emphasized.
The Murmansk region also remains a popular destination for Chinese tourists. The governor noted a steady increase in visitors from China.
"Dear Mr. Chibis, I sincerely thank you for the warm welcome. I heard that the International Arctic Forum was a great success, and I fully agree with you on the topics of cooperation. Thanks to the leadership of our countries—Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping—we have every opportunity to develop a comprehensive partnership. Our collaboration is expanding across nearly all sectors. In 2024, Murmansk Region welcomed over 26,000 Chinese tourists—five times more than in 2023. We are confident that, with mutual respect and trust, our partnership will continue to strengthen. In August, the prime ministers of our countries highlighted the importance of Arctic development and cooperation in this area," said Consul General Luo Zhanhui.
Following the meeting, Governor Chibis reaffirmed China's role as a strategic partner and noted that close interaction between the leaders of Russia and China creates new opportunities for regional-level cooperation.
"We discussed several key areas in detail. With the development of the Northern Sea Route, there is a huge niche to be filled—establishing appropriate transport routes, expanding shipping, and building new ports with modern technology. Another priority is the fishing industry, including processing and exporting seafood to China, an area in which we already have experience. Additionally, we touched on industrial projects, such as lithium extraction and other manufacturing developments. Thanks to the gasification efforts supported by President Vladimir Putin, new opportunities will continue to emerge. We also discussed education, student exchanges, and joint Arctic research. Tourism remains a key area for us as well, given the growing number of Chinese visitors. Our goal is to improve services so that they always feel comfortable here," the governor concluded.
Luo Zhanhui emphasized that the meeting reaffirmed the steady course toward friendly cooperation in all sectors, including fisheries, transport, and logistics.
"We have already reached agreements on student exchanges, and I am confident that we have great prospects ahead. Murmansk Region and China continuously focus on transportation issues, and we discussed various aspects of this topic. Thanks to Murmansk’s strategic location, our cooperation will only continue to strengthen," the Consul General claimed.
/ Ministry of Information Policy of the Murmansk Region /
