During an interview at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko announced that the mutual tourist flow between Russia and China could reach around 6 million trips by the end of 2027. This growth is attributed to the extension of the visa-free regime, which has already seen a 60% increase in Russian tourists visiting China and a 25% increase in Chinese tourists traveling to Russia in the first quarter of 2026. The visa-free regime, which allows Russian citizens to enter China without a visa for up to 30 days, was initially set to expire in mid-September but has now been extended until the end of 2027. Since its implementation, approximately 2 million Chinese tourists have visited Russia, while around 1 million Russians have traveled to China. The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, running from June 3-6, focuses on global economic development and includes various forums and cultural events.