If Yabao Road, a retail hub in Beijing that attracts many Russians, reflects the history of China-Russia trade over the past decades, Feng Shixia may be among those best qualified to tell stories of its ups and downs.

"I remember once I brought my kid to a hospital near the road in the 1990s, and I was puzzled by the many bustling outdoor stalls there. I had no idea why the clothes, which just hung in a line between two roadside trees trunks, could attract so many Russians customers," said Feng.

At the time, Feng was a saleswoman in a shopping mall, and she could hardly foresee that she would later be involved in seeking to tap into the street's market in clothes aimed at Russian customers.