russia Is Increasing Pressure on Importers from China, Trade Is Declining Sharply

russian customs authorities have been instructed to compensate for the budget deficit by imposing fines on small suppliers of Chinese goods. This has led to miles-long queues of trucks at the borders with China and Kazakhstan.

Small and medium-sized Chinese businesses, which previously tried to circumvent sanctions by working with russians, are closing their companies en masse or outsourcing their operations. Sanctions pressure combined with moscow’s tough fiscal policy is effectively curtailing the “parallel import” scheme.

In the first nine months of 2025, China’s exports to russia decreased by 10.6 % year-on-year. In September, trade between the two countries declined  by a record 21 %.