Sociological fund Public Opinion set up a survey from April 25 to 26 to learn what Russians think about a stronger China. The result was released on May 6. It turns out that 77 percent of the Russian people surveyed believe China is friendly to Russia.
China and Russia are important trade and economic partners. According to Chinese ambassador to Russia Li Hui, China has been Russia's largest trade partner for five years in a row, with mutual trade increasing 6.8 percent to $95.3 billion last year.
This year, thanks to the Silk Road Economic Belt, the opening of a west-east natural gas pipeline and cooperation on the construction of major infrastructure facilities, Sino-Russian trade volume is expected to exceed $100 billion this year.
As Li said in an interview, today more Russian people treat China as a friend. According to the survey results in the past decade, the number of people who considered China as a friendly country jumped. In 2006, only 48 percent of Russian people surveyed thought so.
According to the poll, 54 percent of the respondents think the rise of China does not threaten the interests of Russia. Comparing the level and pace of development in the two countries, 70 percent of the poll participants said they think that China is more successful.
Twenty-nine percent of Russians think there is not enough news about China in the media. And 32 percent insist that it is more important for Russia to strengthen economic and political relations with China than establishing relations with the West.
We will not give up search, Li vows
