Russian-Chinese cooperation: Museum work and tourism

Abstract

The specificity of the international political situation at the end of XX — early XXI centuries contributed to the rapprochement of the interests of the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation. At present, the bilateral dialogue between Russia and China has reached a high level, and its further development meets the key foreign policy interests of both countries. It should be recognized that the issues of the development of Russian-Chinese museum cooperation and tourism in the 21st century are insufficiently studied in Russian museological literature. The relevance of the subject is due to the international processes, as well as the activities of such associations as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the BRICS (a group of five countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China and the Republic of South Africa). The Russian-Chinese cultural partnership now covers such key aspects as museum cooperation, which implies the regular exhibitions and festivals of culture and art, the creation of museum branches, virtual museums and cultural centers, the development of new tourist routes and the interaction between the museums of both countries. Museum cooperation promotes the actualization of the historical heritage of both countries and the popularization of national museum collections, including those dedicated to the revolutionary events of the early 21st century. In conjunction with museum activities, cross-country tourism is growing, supported by loyalty programs and specialized tourist routes in Russia and China, such as “Red Route”, “China Friendly” and “National Years”, “Years of Languages”, “National Years of Tourism”, etc. The article is based on a wide range of documents of Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS, as well as materials from the official websites of authorities and cultural organizations. The authors reconstruct the origins and key trends of the Russian-Chinese cultural partnership in the museum and tourist areas in the beginning of the 21st century.

Keywords:

Russian-Chinese relations, cultural cooperation, museum cooperation, The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS, cultural centers, red tourism, China Friendly, the Great Silk Road, The State Hermitage Museum