moscow Paying an Increasing Price for Its “Everlasting Friendship” with Beijing

“rosstandart”’s ban on the sale and distribution in russia of a number of Chinese truck models from the Dongfeng, Foton, FAW, and Sitrak brands calls into question the strength of the “friendly relations” between moscow and Beijing. Formally, the reason given for this decision was that the vehicles “fail to meet certain technical standards, posing a direct threat to the lives and health of citizens”. In reality, this appears to be a state policy of protectionism: in the first half of the year, 13,100 new Chinese trucks were sold in russia, accounting for 47% of total sales, while Dongfeng, Foton, FAW, and Sitrak alone accounted for 28% of that total. Against this background, it is hardly a coincidence that “kamaz” has returned to a five-day workweek.

Tensions between China and russia are also rising in other business sectors. This is most evident in shipping costs. The cost of transporting a container by railway from Suzhou Station to moscow rose from $4,300 in July 2025 to $6,300 in February 2026, and now stands at about $9,000. Road freight transport through transbaikalia rose in price from $10,200 to $14,500 over the same period.

At the same time, China is methodically restructuring its export system, and every step in this process affects the cost of goods for russian companies. For example, last year, “Announcement No. 17 of the State Tax Administration of the PRC” came into effect, requiring export agents to disclose the actual manufacturer of goods. This disrupted the old scheme used by russian companies to bypass customs clearance.

This year, Beijing abolished export VAT refunds for 271 commodity codes. The full abolition affected 249 types of photovoltaic products, as well as glass, ceramics, chemicals, and construction materials. Consequently, russian consumers will now have to pay the “non-preferential” VAT rates. The tightening of inspections by Chinese customs, as well as the reinstatement of the five-tier corporate credit rating system, did little to improve relations between the two countries.

While slogans about everlasting friendship and strategic partnership are being touted at the highest levels, in reality, Beijing continues to systematically drive moscow into a trap of its own interests.