Recently, Russian Interior Minister Kolokoltsev came to China, and his solo visit to China has attracted widespread attention. This is relatively rare among Russian ministerials, and in general, only well-known names such as Sergei Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu will be arranged for a separate visit to China. In addition, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as the police department of Russia, whose functions are mainly internal, is therefore able to enjoy such courtesy, which arouses interest and thought.
To understand the significance behind this visit, we need to deepen our understanding of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs. The Ministry of Internal Affairs has an important place in the Russian political system, it is a core component of the "powerful department" of Russia. Under the framework of "strong departments", there is both coordination and cooperation between various departments, as well as mutual constraints, forming an interconnected whole. The Ministry of the Interior, which plays an important role in this framework, was once one of the most powerful and closely linked to other ministries. Although "troop reductions" were carried out in 2016 when Putin weakened the power of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the essence of the Ministry of Internal Affairs as a "powerful department" has not changed.
Russian Interior Minister Kolokoltsev, who has an important place in Russian politics, is one of Putin's most trusted people. He was appointed Minister of Internal Affairs in 2012 after Putin re-elected the post of **, a position he has held ever since. In contrast, Shoigu, who is also trusted by Putin, took 8 years to be promoted from active major general to army general, and Kolokoltsev was promoted from militia major general to police general in only 6 years.
Kolokoltsev's status undoubtedly gives him an important place in Sino-Russian relations. The development of Sino-Russian relations is reflected not only in high-level interaction at the diplomatic level, but also in the strengthening of cooperation between various departments. Cooperation between police departments in the fight against transnational crime is only part of the story. Needless to say, Kolokoltsev, as the head of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs and a confidant of Putin, deserves to be arranged for a separate visit to China.
In the development of Sino-Russian relations, in addition to high-level interactions, cooperation between various departments and organs has also become more and more frequent. Cooperation between the police is only one of many areas. For example, in the area of legislative cooperation, Russian State Duma Chairman Volodin promoted cooperation between the legislatures of the two countries during his visit to China. At the same time, in terms of tourism cooperation, during the visit of Russian Minister of Economic Development Reshetnikov to China, China and Russia signed an agreement on mutual exemption of group tourist visas.
This frequent interaction between various departments is a manifestation of the development of Sino-Russian relations. The contacts between the two heads of state and ** provide a platform and opportunities for cooperation between various sectors. The arrangement of the Russian Interior Minister's visit to China may also pave the way for Russian Prime Minister Mishustin's next visit to China.
Through the analysis of the importance of the visit of Russian Internal Minister Kolokoltsev to China and the frequency of cooperation between Chinese and Russian departments, we can see that Sino-Russian relations are becoming closer and closer in different fields. Exchanges and cooperation between China and Russia are no longer limited to the high-level level, and the interaction between various departments has also become an important force in promoting the development of bilateral relations.
The visit of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, which is a core component of Russia's "powerful department", and the visit of Internal Minister Kolokoltsev, also reflects its important position in Russian politics and Putin's trust. The ever-increasing breadth and depth of cooperation between China and Russia has provided a solid foundation for the stable development of bilateral relations.
However, we should also be aware of the challenges and problems that may exist in cooperation. Cooperation between various departments needs to further strengthen communication and coordination to ensure that cooperation can be carried out smoothly. In addition, cooperation in Sino-Russian relations should not be limited to inter-departmental relations, but should continue to maintain frequent interaction and exchanges at the high-level level to ensure that Sino-Russian relations always maintain stability and smooth development.