Russian Ambassador Morgulov Extends Year of the Horse Greetings: Russia-China Relations Reach New Heights, Announcement of Year of Education

Kathmandu, February 17: On the occasion of the Year of the Horse 2026 according to the Chinese lunar calendar, Russian Ambassador Igor Morgulov, in a congratulatory message to the Global Times, stated that Russia-China relations have reached new heights. He emphasized that the strategic partnership between both nations has become a key stabilizing factor in international affairs.

In his message, Russian Ambassador Morgulov said, “Under the leadership of both heads of state, the Russia-China comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction have reached new heights in the past Year of the Snake and have maintained positive momentum across all key areas.”

Highlighting that the past year was historic for both countries, he stated, “The past year marked the 80th anniversary of our common victories: the victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War and the victory of the Chinese people in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. The wartime brotherhood between our peoples, who made decisive contributions to defeating German fascism and Japanese militarism, will forever remain one of the central pillars of bilateral strategic partnership, which today stands as a key stabilizing factor in international affairs.”

Discussing economic relations, he said, “Economic ties between the two countries continue to develop dynamically. For the third consecutive year, the volume of bilateral trade has confidently remained above the $200 billion target set by our heads of state. In the new year, we will continue to work jointly to further unlock the vast potential of practical cooperation, both in traditional industries and in new high-tech sectors.”

Regarding cultural and educational exchanges, the Ambassador informed, “Following the successfully concluded Russia-China Years of Culture in 2025, which included over 400 events, our heads of state have declared 2026-2027 as the cross-Years of Education. Joint efforts in this area have already yielded positive results: the total number of participants in student exchanges in 2025 exceeded 77,000 and will only continue to grow. The mutual introduction of a visa-free regime last year also provided a powerful impetus for expanding our ties in humanitarian and other fields, as evidenced by record numbers of mutual trips.”

Highlighting the cultural significance of the Year of the Horse, he said, “Dear friends! The horse holds a special place in both Russian and Chinese cultures. Many people in my country revere it as an indispensable companion and faithful assistant, the domestic animal closest to humans. In Chinese tradition, it symbolizes success, speed, and steadfast progress, reflected in idioms such as ‘riding a horse towards victory’, ‘being ahead on horseback’, and ‘galloping towards new horizons’.”

Concluding his message, Ambassador Morgulov expressed confidence, stating, “I am confident that in the coming lunar year, we will, together with our Chinese partners, realize the most ambitious projects, further strengthening the bonds of traditional friendship and strategic interaction between our countries.”