Russia-China Summit Statement Highlights Meat Trade Risks
By Reuters | 20 May, 2026

Russian meat exports to China surged 19% last year despite an outbreak of cattle disease in Siberian regions, prompting discussion on meat safety measures.

Moscow and Beijing will ensure safety and analyse risks when increasing Russian meat exports to China, they said in a joint declaration on Wednesday after a recent outbreak of cattle disease in Siberian regions.

Data from Russia's agriculture safety watchdog showed the country's exports of meat to China, including frozen beef, increased by 19% to 254,000 metric tons last year. However, beef exports slowed in March, Chinese customs data showed.

"The parties will make joint efforts to expand the range and volume of meat product supplies from epizootically safe regions of Russia to China, including beef and pork by-products, while adhering to safety measures and based on risk analysis," the document said.

The statement, issued after talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing on Wednesday, stressed the importance of agricultural trade between Russia and China. No agriculture deals were signed during the visit.

Authorities culled thousands of cows in Siberia in March due to an outbreak of pasteurellosis, sparking rare wartime protests by local farmers, who argued that treatment of the disease does not require culling.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign ⁠Agriculture Service (FAS) in a report cited "local sources and trading contacts" who alleged that "the scale of these measures may ​indicate an unconfirmed outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease".

The Russian agriculture watchdog agency said in March that allegations in the USDA report "were not true".

Russia obtained recognition from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) in 2025 as a territory free from foot-and-mouth, the highly contagious viral disease that usually requires mass culling.

Kazakhstan banned Russian meat imports, while authorities in China reported a small outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease which entered China ​via the northwest border, a region that touches Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia and other countries.

Russia views China as a key market for its agriculture products as it aims to boost exports by 50% by 2030.

(Reporting by Gleb Bryanski; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)