Russia and China: Interregional and Cross-Border Cooperation

Annotation

This article analyzes Russian-Chinese interregional and cross-border cooperation. The relevance of the study is determined by objective geopolitical factors, foremost among which are Russia's political and economic reorientation toward the East, the deterioration of China's relations with the United States and Europe, and the increasing responsibility of the Russian Federation and China for maintaining stability in the region and globally. The article examines the conceptual characteristics of the terms «cross-border cooperation,» «transborder cooperation,» and «interregional cooperation.» In accordance with limology as a science about borders, it is concluded that the most relevant concept describing the ongoing processes is «interregional and cross-border cooperation,» which refers to political, economic, social, and cultural interactions both between regions of a single country and between different states. This article analyzes the legal framework for Russian-Chinese interregional and cross-border cooperation, which includes, on the one hand, interstate treaties and agreements, and, on the other, the activities of the relevant bodies responsible for implementing a set of measures to promote interaction in this area. Examples of how Russian-Chinese interregional and cross-border cooperation is reflected in the Russian media are provided. The conclusion is made that the strong historical framework of Russian-Chinese interregional and cross-border cooperation is currently deepening and expanding, with the countries coordinating their political and economic efforts in response to the changing geopolitical situation. The article outlines future research prospects, including an analysis of interregional and cross-border cooperation between Russia and China using specific regions as examples, as well as a description of existing problem areas in this process.

Keywords

Contribution of the authors

Xin Shun – research concept, justification of the purpose of the article, collection and processing of statistical data, materials and sources, writing the draft; the consolidation of data, final conclusions; Kerimov A. A. – scientific supervision; text refinement.

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Xin Shun, Kerimov A. A. Russia and China: Interregional and Cross-Border Cooperation. Kaspiyskiy region: politika, ekonomika, kultura [The Caspian Region: Politics, Economics, Culture]. 2026, no. 3 (88), pp. 145–154. https://doi.org/10.54398/1818-510X.2026.88.3.016 (In Russ.).
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