Two middle-aged men in search of beer go straight to a Baltika No bottle. 7, a light lager that has long been one of the most popular beers in Russia.
But this scene does not happen in Moscow or Vladivostok. The scenario is a store called Russia Quality Select in downtown Beijing, a phenomenon that is repeated across the country. Hundreds of Russian supermarkets emerged in China in the last year. They have become such a success that even President Vladimir Putin’s government plans to launch a competing network with 300 units.
The manager of one of these stores in the Chinese capital gave an interview at the entrance of the venue, under flags of both countries. She stated that chocolates are among the best -selling items, along with children’s milk powder.
The growth of the “Russia brand” in major Chinese shopping centers from Shenzhen to ürümqi brings more visibility to a relationship that already moves $ 245 billion in bilateral trade per year – overcoming China’s business with Germany and Brazil. These stores are the most recent example of how the “boundless” friendship promised by Xi Jinping and Putin, days before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, is increasingly present in the daily life of Chinese consumers.
“These stores are another sign of Russophilia growth in China, something driven since the high levels,” said Tao Wang, a Chinese political economy researcher at Manchester University. “This sympathy for the Russian government among the ordinary Chinese is also the result of the country’s unique informational environment, where pro-Russian narratives are actively promoted, while critical voices are often censored.”
Russia and China: from rivals to allies
Russia has always been a controversial theme in China. In the 1960s, border clashes led Moscow to threaten Beijing with nuclear weapons. In addition, territorial concessions made in the nineteenth century are still a source of resentment to many Chinese.
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However, in recent years, attitudes have changed. A survey by the University of Tsinghua’s International Security and Strategy revealed that by 2024 almost two thirds of the Chinese had a favorable view of Russia – an increase of more than seven percentage points compared to 2022.
Tourism reflects this trend: Russians now form the second largest group of visitors in Beijing, a very different position from the one registered before the pandemic, when they were out of the Top 10. This benefited the Chinese economy, which still struggles to attract western tourists after Covid’s isolation years.
At the same time, Russian artists who have lost space in the West – such as pianist Denis Matsuev and conductor Valery Gergiev – are now a constant presence in Chinese theaters.
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Russian product fever
The interest in Russian products comes at a delicate time for the relationship between Moscow and Beijing. The rapprochement of former US President Donald Trump with Putin rekindled the dialogue channels between Russia and Americans, two countries that in recent years China and Russia have been publicly opposed to the global scenario.
Until now, Beijing has praised peace efforts and stated that any attempt to create quarrels between China and Russia is “bound to failure.” With Xi Jinping planning to visit Putin in Moscow in May, there are no signs of weakening political ties. But if Trump relieves sanctions against Russia, as he suggested, Kremlin could become less economically dependent on China for the first time since the invasion of Ukraine.
Russian products were rarity in China, except in the border regions. What aroused the interest of Chinese consumers is unclear, but Putin believes he played a role in this – at least in the case of ice cream.
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At a meeting with agricultural companies last year, he recalled that he presented Xi Jinping with a box of ice cream on the 66th anniversary of the Chinese leader in 2019. After that, product sales in China fired, quadrupling between 2022 and 2024.
The Russian export center, created by the government in 2015 after the annexation of Crimea, wants to expand this market. After organizing the first “Made in Russia” trade fair in the Chinese province of Liaoning in early 2024, the agency now plans to increase the number of official stores in the country from eight to 300 later this year.
But there is a long time to recover, as informal competitors came out ahead. According to the Chinese corporate database Qichacha, more than 900 companies specializing in Russian products were registered in the last year – more than double the number in the previous two years.
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The names of these stores – as Russian Product Pavilion e Russian quality selection – suggest an appearance of state approval. Virtually all use the Russian flag colors and Russian Marrom Bear Images to ensure the authenticity of the products.
Problems with consumer authenticity and fatigue
This insistence on authenticity may not be coincidence. The quality and origin of supposedly Russian products have been questioned in China, leading local authorities to promise misleading advertisements.
In a Beijing mall, for example, a section of rye bread “Russians” displayed labels with Russian grammatical errors – but the products were made in China.
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Lana Chen, a 33 -year -old teacher, discovered a Russian supermarket by chance at a Guangdong mall. At the entrance, two huge matrioskas dolls received customers.
“The store was huge and the products looked interesting,” she said. “Once inside, you feel you need to buy something.” In the end, she took chocolates and wafer cookies.
For other Chinese consumers, the price is the main attraction. Ma Sanjin, who was visiting a store specializing in Beijing with his wife, praised Russian milk powder as “good cost-effective and better quality” than the Chinese equivalent. The product costs 20 yuans ($ 3) for 500 grams, cheaper than most local alternatives.
MA, a native of Hebei province, said he used to travel to the border with Russia every year to shop, as his wife is from the region.
However, despite the initial popularity, Russian supermarkets already face difficulties in the competitive Chinese market.
In the busy commercial street of Chengdu, the Russian product store It is setting all the stock with great discounts, but pedestrians almost pay attention. In NanluoGuxiang, a famous historic area of Beijing, a store that previously sold exclusively Russian products has changed completely from segment.
All this signals challenges for the official Kremlin initiative to enter the Chinese market – especially if enthusiasm for Russian products is already starting to decrease.
In addition, the outcome of war in Ukraine can further affect bilateral ties. Tensions are already emerging, especially as Russia takes steps to protect its auto industry from an invasion of Chinese vehicles.
“A rapprochement between US and Russia would be a big problem for Beijing,” said Patricia M. Kim, a researcher at Brookings Institution.
© 2025 Bloomberg L.P.
