By the initiative of SOYUZLEGPROM, a large-scale meeting of representatives of the light industry sectors of Russia and the People’s Republic of China was held in Moscow at the Creative Cluster of the Light Industry.

The event marked a new stage in relations between the two countries, signaling the beginning of deep industrial cooperation based on exhibition platforms. 

The high status of the meeting was confirmed by the personal attendance of owners and senior executives of leading Chinese development institutions, who arrived to engage directly with enterprises and brands that are members of the largest industry association of textile and light industry entrepreneurs.

The event lasted seven hours, with most of the time dedicated to B2B meetings.

Direct Dialogue Between Heads of Industry Associations

The official program was opened by Andrey Valentinovich Razbrodin, President of the Russian Union of Textile and Light Industry Entrepreneurs (SOYUZLEGPROM).

«This year, during the parliamentary hearings in the State Duma, a decision was supported to approve a development strategy for our industry focused on import substitution. The foundation of this strategy will be a program for the development of chemical fiber production in Russia, which, in turn, will be based on the processing of petroleum and forestry industry resources. This will make our products highly competitive», noted Andrey Razbrodin.

A keynote presentation on the current state of China’s industry and specific cooperation proposals was delivered by Mr. Xia Lingmin, Secretary General of the China National Textile and Apparel Council (CNTAC).

Mr. Xia Lingmin presented current industry data following the successful implementation of the 14th Five-Year Plan and emphasized: «In Beijing, the leaders of our two countries, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, held an official meeting that laid the foundation for deepening and advancing bilateral relations. Today, representatives of more than 20 Chinese enterprises have come to Moscow to find common ground and enhance cooperation in the textile industry.»

Mr. Xia Lingmin also outlined proposals for cooperation between the two countries in the textile sector.

«In recent years, international trade has faced many challenges, including instability in global supply chains. China and Russia should strengthen strategic coordination at all levels of the industrial chain and promote the development of areas such as raw material supply, logistics, cross-border e-commerce, and financial settlements», he stated.

Government Support and the Industrial Economy of Russia

Roman Vasilyevich Fadeev, Director for Financial Market Development at the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP), noted: «The fact that owners and top executives of the largest Chinese enterprises have come to Moscow ready for direct dialogue demonstrates the tremendous mutual interest. Together with our partners, RSPP is prepared to provide comprehensive support to businesses by helping create transparent and predictable operating conditions and by facilitating the modernization of the raw material base.»

In their speeches, Russian parliamentarians unanimously emphasized that the light industry is a crucial element of the country’s economic resilience.

Sergey Ivanovich Morozov, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Regional Policy and Local Self-Government and Deputy Head of the «EDINYA ROSSIA» faction, stated:

«Our meeting is of strategic importance for strengthening Russia’s industrial and technological sovereignty. The Russian textile market consists of more than 51,000 enterprises with a total value of 2.6 trillion rubles. We are carefully studying China’s best practices in order to develop modern government support measures for the light industry sector. We see cooperation with China in deep industrial collaboration, joint developments, and technology localization.»

Anna Valeryevna Skroznikova, Deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and member of the Committee on Education («Novie lyudi» faction), said:

«For Central Russia—including the Yaroslavl, Vladimir, and Ivanovo regions—textiles are not simply one of many industries but part of the region’s history and identity. Today, two powerful forces are coming together: China’s enormous manufacturing capacity and the growing Russian market with its brands and high quality standards. This combination has tremendous potential. Russian companies need flexible solutions, and we have factories and a skilled workforce. The Chinese side offers stable raw material supplies and advanced technologies. This is a solid foundation for a long-term partnership.»

Despite the limited time available, the negotiations clearly demonstrated that both sides are committed to moving quickly from discussion to action. Russian manufacturers and brands gained direct access to advanced Chinese technologies. The parties agreed to develop flexible production models, implement joint IT solutions for logistics, and ensure uncompromising quality control of products.