China's 'Russian' product craze: The reality behind the labels
In recent months, China has been inundated with stores that attract customers by offering Russian products. However, most of them only have Cyrillic labels, which supposedly increase their value in the eyes of customers seeking exoticism. "It's a hoax," warns Veronika Truszczyńska, who lives in Shanghai.
Veronika Truszczyńska has been living in Shanghai for over 10 years and runs social media channels that focus on social and political issues in contemporary China. On her Instagram profile, she highlighted an interesting phenomenon.
In recent months, stores selling "Russian" products have gained enormous popularity in China. Truszczyńska admits that at first, she thought the flood of products from Russia was due to sanctions imposed on the country. The truth is quite different. "It's a hoax," the sinologist warns.
After closely examining the labels, it turns out that most of the items sold there have no connection to Russia whatsoever. On store shelves, you will find food produced in Belarus, Turkey, Ukraine, Poland, and even Vietnam or China. They typically have labels written in Cyrillic to make them appear authentic.
Economic cooperation between China and Russia
According to data from China's General Administration of Customs, the trade value between China and Russia in 2024 reached a record level of 1.74 trillion yuan (about 240 billion Canadian dollars). Exports from Russia to China increased by 1 per cent compared to the previous year, while imports from China to Russia grew by 5 per cent.
The main goods exported from Russia to China were energy resources, such as crude oil and natural gas.
Russia has indeed significantly increased the export of agricultural and food products to China. In 2024, the value of these shipments to China rose by 4 per cent compared to the previous year, reaching a record level of 64 billion Canadian dollars.
Among the exported products, natural resources dominate, but food products also have a significant share. For example, in 2023, Russia exported to China 2.1 million tonnes of fish and seafood products valued at about 5.9 billion Canadian dollars.
Source: Instagram, WP News
