Moscow Cultural Festival enters Shenzhen to deepen cooperation on cultural and business projects

China News Service, Shenzhen, November 12 (Suo Youwei and Hu Junyao) The Shenzhen Station of the Moscow Culture Festival was launched in Shenzhen on the 11th, and a series of activities will continue until early December to deepen cooperation in cultural and business projects between the two cities.

It is reported that the cooperation between Moscow and Shenzhen is based on the cooperation memorandum of understanding signed in March 2024, covering transportation innovation, culture and other fields. In June this year, the two cities signed a memorandum of understanding on tourism cooperation, agreeing to expand business contacts, jointly organize events and business inspections, and use digital platforms to promote tourism projects.

"Discover Moscow" themed train. Photo by Peng Cheng

On November 11, the "Explore Moscow" themed train debuted on Shenzhen Metro Line 11. This is the first time that Moscow has launched such a project in China. The carriage design shows Moscow’s special attractions, and you can enter the tourism portal by scanning the QR code. This is also a friendly response to China - the Moscow Metro had previously launched Chinese-themed trains during the Spring Festival.

Related cultural activities were held at the new Shenzhen Cultural Center from the 11th to the 12th. The ballet evening "The Charm of Russian Ballet" is directed by Denis Rodkin, the principal dancer of the Bolshoi Theater, and the main actors of many Russian ballet companies perform on the same stage; the multimedia concert "Future Cantata" was created by Moscow composer Nikolay Melnikov and jointly performed by the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra. The Cultural Center Library also opened a Moscow Book Corner, displaying Chinese translations of 47 Russian literary works and related magazines.

Ballet evening. Peng Chengshe

In terms of business activities, the New Technology Cooperation Roundtable focused on opportunities for Chinese and Russian start-ups to enter each other's markets and government support for innovation mechanisms. Representatives from the tourism industry exchanged views on strengthening ties and expanding cooperation, and Moscow Zoo and Shenzhen Zoo signed a cooperation agreement.

Outdoor activities and a Moscow-themed exhibition hall will be held from December 4th to 5th. Visitors can experience the "Moscow Tea Party" project and consult tourism information.

According to reports, joint cultural projects have become an important link between Moscow and China from all walks of life to cooperate and promote people-to-people exchanges. The 2026 Moscow Spring Festival celebration will attract about 1.7 million people, and the Moscow Winter Festival held in Beijing will attract more than 500,000 people. In 2027, Moscow will continue to hold the Spring Festival celebration and expand its scale, and representatives from Shenzhen and other provinces and cities are expected to participate.

In the first nine months of this year, more than 370,000 Chinese tourists visited Moscow.

This series of activities is hosted by the Moscow Municipal Government and supported by the Foreign Affairs Office of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government and the Russian Embassy in China.