Of course, the rapidly increasing traffic between the two countries generates not only new lucrative opportunities, but also new massive challenges. It puts additional pressure on transportation infrastructure and the hospitality business, calling for more transborder air flights, railroad and highway connections, new training programs for tour guides and interpreters, larger-scale and more efficient consulate services and more user-friendly currency exchange tools. In the summer of 2026, Chinese and Russian airlines were conducting 309 transborder flights a week on average compared to 230 a year ago. Direct flights between Russia and China have increased by nearly 35 percent year-on-year. Besides, law enforcement agencies of the two states have to keep a close eye on the criminal dynamics due to the rapid rise in movement of people between any two states in order not to miss possible problems in the future.

　　One can argue that these days there are plenty of technical opportunities to replace face-to-face meetings with online communication. In recent years, all of us have become experts in new technological platforms providing for such communication. And yet, no virtual substitute can fully replace face-to-face interaction. Within the international expert community, this interaction remains indispensable not only for an in-depth and candid exchange of views, but also for building empathy and trust between the parties involved in a dialogue. And, of course, no virtual study tour will give you the same taste of a country that you can get by getting your boots on the ground.