The shopfronts are decked out in white, blue and red, with Chinese and Russian flags hanging side by side from the ceiling. Waist-high Russian dolls greet customers at the entrance. Inside, shelves are stocked with an array of Russian goods \u2013 from chocolates and cookies to honey and vodka. <\/p>\n
In China, pop-up stores specializing in Russian-made products have become an increasingly common sight. Their proliferation has left some residents puzzled, with many on Chinese social media questioning why these stores seem to have sprung up overnight. <\/p>\n
Thousands of such stores have opened across the country in recent years, tapping into the Chinese public\u2019s affinity for Russia and deepening trade ties between Beijing and Moscow since Vladimir Putin\u2019s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. <\/p>\n
China has become a critical economic lifeline for sanctions-hit Russia, with bilateral trade reaching record highs year after year. While cheap Russian oil, gas, and coal dominate China\u2019s imports, Russian food products \u2013 such as ice cream, sweet biscuits and milk powder \u2013 have also risen sharply in popularity. <\/p>\n
Chinese businesses have rushed to capitalize on the booming demand. <\/p>\n
More than 2,500 new companies involved in the trade of Russian goods have been registered since 2022, according to China\u2019s business records, with nearly half registered in the past year alone. Around 80% of the new firms that rushed to cash in on the craze remained in operation as of this month, business registration records show. <\/p>\n
Most of these companies are based in Heilongjiang, the northeastern province bordering Russia, though in the past two years they\u2019ve spread in other provinces. <\/p>\n
More than aquatic and agricultural products, which make up the bulk of China\u2019s food imports from Russia, it is Russian-branded chocolates, biscuits and milk powder that have captured the attention of Chinese consumers, appealing directly to the \u201cMade in Russia\u201d brand promoted by Moscow. <\/p>\n
The stores\u2019 explosive growth \u2013 dubbed \u201ccrazy\u201d by a Chinese state media report \u2013 has also sparked scrutiny over the authenticity of their products. Investigations by media outlets and influencers alike have revealed that some Russian branded items were actually made in China, prompting authorities to crack down on misleading labeling and advertising. <\/p>\n
At a Russian goods store in downtown Beijing in February, a shop assistant arranged rows of neatly packaged candies, biscuits, and milk powder \u2013 some of the store\u2019s most popular items. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe best seller is Russian honey \u2013 it\u2019s a big hit. And this chocolate is pure. They\u2019re all very good,\u201d she said, gesturing toward a wide selection of chocolates. <\/p>\n
In the background, a loudspeaker played a looping message, welcoming customers to the \u201cRussian Goods Pavilion\u201d and hailing Russian products for their \u201chealthiness, natural ingredients, and high quality.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cThis is not only a platform for selling Russian products but also a window showcasing Russian culture and charm,\u201d it declared. <\/p>\n
Liang Jinghao, a tourist from the northern Shanxi province, said he had seen many similar Russian goods stores back home. \u201cRussia is a very good country, with a vast land area and rich resources, and its people are also very friendly,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
Su, 20, has opened three Russian goods stores in Pingliang, a small city in the northwestern province of Gansu, since September last year. <\/p>\n
\u201cChina and Russia have maintained pretty good relations in recent years, and personally, I have a fairly positive view of Russia as a country,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
Su\u2019s stores also sell products from Sri Lanka and Australia, but they were far less popular, she said. \u201cI think Russian products are a better fit for the local taste,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n