On July 25, 2005, the Most Holy Patriarch ALEXY of Moscow and All Russia, received in his working residence on Chisty Perioulok, the Russian Federation's new Plenipotentiary Ambassador to the Chinese People's Republic, S.S. Razov and his wife.
The vice-chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate's Department of External Church Relations, Bishop Mark of Egorevsk, also participated in their converation, which touched on the prospects of expanding relations between the peoples of Russia and China, especially in cultural and spiritual areas, as well as preserving the historical legacy of Russia's presence in China. Another topic of discussion was the realization of spiritual care for Russian compatriots living, permanently or temporarily, living in China.