Driving Forces, Constraints, and Optimization Pathways in China-Russia Green Cooperation
Driving Forces, Constraints, and Optimization Pathways in China-Russia Green Cooperation

Summary/Abstract: Amid the accelerating global low-carbon transition and a shifting geopolitical landscape, China and Russia face growing incentives to deepen green cooperation. However, empirical research on the drivers and constraints shaping bilateral cooperation remains limited. This study applies the Driving Forces-Resistance framework to examine the dynamics of China-Russia green cooperation through textual analysis, comparative assessment, and case studies of the Tianwan and Xudabao nuclear power plants and the China-Russia Eastern Route Gas Pipeline. Drawing on bilateral policy documents from 2006 to 2025 and data from the WIPO Global Innovation Index 2025, the study identifies four key driving forces: strategic consensus, economic complementarity, shared interests in global climate governance, and multi-level cooperation mechanisms. It also identifies three major constraints: structural, institutional, and technical and financial. Structural constraints are reflected in Russia’s continued dependence on oil and gas revenues, while institutional constraints arise from differences in technical standards and certification systems. Technical and financial constraints are associated with disparities in innovation capacity and limited access to green financing. Based on these findings, the study proposes a phased set of policy measures, including mutual recognition of green technology standards, a green cooperation sub-fund, a Far East green project matching platform, and joint green technology laboratories. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the factors shaping China-Russia green cooperation and provide targeted theoretical and policy insights for its further development under the Green Belt and Road framework.

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