IRKUTSK, Russia, May 18 (Xinhua) -- Russia's Irkutsk region is ready to work with Chinese partners to elevate practical cooperation to a new level so as to set a mutually beneficial example of regional collaboration, Governor Igor Kobzev has said.

China accounted for 81 percent of the region's total foreign trade in 2025, said Kobzev in an interview with Xinhua in Irkutsk city, the regional capital, voicing hope for expanding all-around regional cooperation with China in such areas as the economy, culture, sports, healthcare and tourism.

In 2024, the region sent large delegations of entrepreneurs to Beijing and Shenyang, where multiple cooperation agreements were signed, yielding fruitful results in economic and trade collaboration, he said.

According to Kobzev, the region's major exports to China include crude oil, petroleum products, coal, timber, pulp and aluminum. And exports of polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, wires and cables, ferroalloys and edible oils are expected to increase in the future.

The governor highlighted the region's rich reserves of non-ferrous metals, gold, natural gas, helium and rare earth, as many local mining enterprises are seeking cooperation with Chinese partners, hoping to leverage China's strengths in automation, digitalization, robotics and artificial intelligence to develop resources and introduce advanced engineering solutions.

In February, the Russian government approved the establishment of a tourism and recreation special economic zone in Baikalsk, Irkutsk region. Companies operating in the zone will enjoy a range of preferential policies, including tax incentives.

"We hope that investors from all countries, including China, will come," Kobzev said.

Pointing to growing educational and cultural exchanges between the two sides, he said that more than 1,000 Chinese students are currently studying in universities in the region, and Irkutsk State University has established a Confucius Institute.

With close cooperation with China in such fields as museums, exhibitions, music, film and arts, Kobzev said that such cooperation enjoys promising prospects and meets the needs of both peoples.

Developing cooperation with Chinese educational and research institutions is a priority for local universities, Kobzev said. During the Russia-China Years of Education in 2026 and 2027, a series of events such as China Culture Day will be held by higher education institutions in the region.

Kobzev stressed that China's 15th Five-Year Plan, which emphasizes high-quality development, will create new opportunities for Irkutsk's aluminum, chemical products and timber exports to China, as well as for attracting Chinese investment.

The region looks forward to further expanding cooperation with China, he said. ■