CASS President Gao Xiang meets with Deputy Chairman of the Russian State Duma Alexander Babakov. Photo: Zhu Gaolei/CSSN
On March 24, Gao Xiang, president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), met with a delegation led by Alexander Babakov, deputy chairman of the Russian State Duma, in Beijing, accompanied by Zhao Zhimin, secretary general of CASS.
Gao stated that under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin, China and Russia have maintained a high-level comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for the new era, setting an example of friendly interaction between major countries as well as neighbors. As China’s top academic institution and national comprehensive research center for philosophy and the social sciences, CASS has consistently followed the direction charted by the two heads of state, committed to fostering in-depth dialogue between think tanks and intellectual communities in both nations while advancing pragmatic cooperation across various fields.
“We stand ready to further deepen academic exchanges with our Russian counterparts, conduct collaborative research in areas such as history and modernization, intensify the cultivation of young teachers and students, and contribute to the sustained, healthy, and stable development of China-Russia relations,” Gao said.
Gao emphasized that 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. He noted that China and Russia fought side by side, making historic contributions to the victory in WWII. “We are willing to take this opportunity to collaborate with the Russian side in thoroughly studying this historical period and promoting an accurate understanding of its history to ensure the true history of WWII is conveyed to the world, resolutely uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core, and jointly safeguard world peace and development.”
Babakov remarked that Russia highly values its relationship with China and eagerly anticipates strengthened bilateral exchanges on governance experience to jointly explore paths to modernization. The Russian State Duma stands ready to work closely with CASS to actively implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, deepen mutual trust and friendship between the two peoples, and further advance bilateral ties.
Prior to the meeting, the delegation held discussions with CASS experts and scholars on topics of common concern.