Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 5 (Xinhua) — From the Russian-Chinese joint film “Red Silk” that became a box office hit in Russia to the new version of the opera “Eugene Onegin” created by artists from both countries that debuted successfully in China; from the Chinese New Year celebration that “lit up” Moscow to the traditional Russian events held in many parts of China to celebrate Maslenitsa, humanitarian exchanges have become an important bridge for deepening China-Russia relations, enhancing mutual understanding between the two civilizations and promoting people-to-people exchanges.
2024-2025 have been declared the Years of Culture of China and Russia. As part of the years of culture, hundreds of events are being held in various regions of the two countries, which contribute to deepening friendship and bringing their peoples closer together.
LANGUAGE BRIDGES THE GAP
“My name is Maria. I am studying Chinese. Nice to meet you.” A young woman approached a reporter on the banks of the Moscow River in the Russian capital. After clarifying in Russian that the reporter was Chinese, she switched to Chinese to introduce herself.
Maria is a second-year law student at Moscow University and spends her free time studying Chinese language and culture. With a smile on her face, she admitted that she doesn’t speak Chinese well yet, but hopes to continue her studies. According to Maria, although Chinese is difficult, it sounds beautiful, and Chinese culture is very colorful and charming.
In recent years, Russia has seen a “Chinese language boom.” Now, on the streets of Moscow, you can increasingly hear friendly greetings in Chinese: “Nihao” /”Hello,” “Shi zhongguoren ma?” /”Are you from China?”/, “Huanyi,” /”Welcome,” “Zai jian” /”Goodbye,”… Seeing Asian facial features, many Russians begin to greet in Chinese.
“We have witnessed the popularization of Chinese culture and language: they are studied in schools, universities and at other educational levels,” says Ilya Gutin, senior lecturer at the Department of Chinese, Vietnamese, Burmese, Thai, Lao and Khmer Languages at MGIMO University of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia.
According to statistics, there are currently over 140 universities and over 220 primary and secondary schools offering Chinese language programs in Russia. There are also 19 Confucius Institutes and five Confucius Classrooms, as well as other additional educational institutions teaching Chinese. About 110,000 people in Russia study Chinese, and it has already become a second foreign language. In China, there are over 180 colleges and universities offering Russian language programs, and about 120,000 people study Russian in primary and secondary schools and universities.
At the same time, the two countries jointly established such cooperation projects as the Project of “10 Chinese and 10 Russian Outstanding Figures in Humanitarian Cooperation”, the Program for the Construction of Joint Chinese-Russian Scientific and Educational Centers, the Program for the Development of Chinese-Russian Associations of Specialized Universities. “Support was provided to universities in implementing joint educational programs, the scale of student exchanges between the two countries was expanded, summer schools for university students were jointly organized, cooperation in the field of professional education was carried out, which contributed to strengthening mutual understanding and friendship between young people.
“2024-2025, declared the cross years of culture between Russia and China, have opened up new opportunities for deepening cultural and educational ties,” said I. Gutin.
ART UNITES PEOPLE
The Chinese dance drama “Wing Chun: The Legend of the Kung Fu Master” was recently shown to great acclaim at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. The fusion of Chinese kung fu and dance received thunderous applause, as well as wide attention and high praise from the Russian media.
According to Russian media, the dance performance “Wing Chun” is a story of heroes from the people based on the traditional martial art of Lingnan. The performance combines dance, martial arts and cinematic storytelling, telling the spiritual journey of Chinese kung fu to global recognition.
In recent years, the “Chinese wind” has been blowing in Russia. Chinese works such as the play “I Didn’t Kill My Husband,” the symphony “Ode to the Red Flag,” and the dance-poetic drama “Only This Greenery” have sparkled on Russian stages, demonstrating the unique charm of Chinese culture.
Meanwhile, a number of classic works of Russian art were presented on the stages of China. The ballets “Swan Lake”, “Sleeping Beauty”, “The Nutcracker” reflected the true “Russian aesthetics”. Theatrical, ballet and musical interpretations of such famous Russian literary works in China as “Anna Karenina” and “War and Peace” gave the audience an unforgettable experience. The Central Opera House of China and Russian artists presented a modern production of the world classic – the opera “Eugene Onegin”, breathing new life into the literary classic and emphasizing the strength of interaction between the cultures of China and Russia.
Wang Ning, director of the National Center for the Performing Arts of China, noted that many world-famous Russian art institutions have come to China to perform, which not only conveys the essence of Russian national culture to the Chinese audience, but also gives Russian artists the opportunity to feel and understand China.
“Artistic exchange, by influencing the eyes and ears, helps the people of the two countries gain an understanding of each other’s culture and become closer psychologically,” he concluded.
TOURISM STRENGTHENS FRIENDSHIP
“Going abroad for breakfast and coming back home” sounds almost unbelievable, but in the city of Heihe in northeastern China’s Heilongjiang Province, it has become routine.
Heihe is located across the river from Blagoveshchensk, the capital of Russia’s Amur region. With the resumption of visa-free group tours between China and Russia, “cross-border tourism” is rapidly gaining popularity. Every morning, many Russians head to Heihe in groups for the morning market, shopping, and tasting of Dongbei breakfast: youtiao (deep-fried dough sticks), soy milk, eggs boiled in seasoned tea, and egg burgers. They even came up with their own original breakfast — baozi (steamed buns) and beer.
“I just went to the dentist, bought some household goods, and now I’m going to have lunch at a restaurant. Ten minutes by boat and I’ll be home – very convenient,” says Ekaterina from Blagoveshchensk with a smile, adding that she often comes to Heihe, and although she doesn’t speak Chinese, there are signs in Russian in the city, and many vendors speak a little Russian.
In recent years, thanks to improved transport accessibility and visa relaxations, the number of Russian tourists in China has been steadily growing. Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Sanya, Chengdu, Qinhuangdao — the list of favorite tourist destinations for Russians in China is constantly expanding.
While Russian tourists enjoy the beauty and cuisine of China, Chinese travelers are increasingly discovering the vast expanses of Russia. According to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia /ATOR/, in 2024 the number of Chinese tourists in Russia reached 848 thousand people, which is 4.2 times more than in 2023. In addition to Moscow and St. Petersburg, the Chinese are increasingly choosing Murmansk, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk and other cities for travel.
To make the stay of Chinese tourists more comfortable, airports and major tourist attractions in a number of Russian cities have signs in Chinese, and popular restaurants have menus in Chinese. As part of the Years of Chinese and Russian Culture, Moscow has hosted the “Chinese New Year in Moscow” festival for two years in a row. A number of events were organized — theatrical performances, master classes, lectures, film screenings, and tea ceremonies.
“As part of the cross-years, it is planned to hold a series of cultural events in both countries. The festival in honor of the Chinese New Year will be the first in a series of events,” said Deputy Mayor of Moscow Natalya Sergunina. According to her, China is one of the promising areas for the development of tourism and partnership relations in general. “We expect that this year, thanks to joint programs, the mutual tourist flow will continue to grow,” said N. Sergunina.
At the same time, the Chinese cities of Beijing and Xi’an celebrated Maslenitsa: “Farewell to the Russian winter in China.” During the events, Chinese residents tried Russian pancakes and got acquainted with the traditions of folk festivities.
“We recently celebrated the Spring Festival in Moscow with our Chinese friends. It was not just a celebration, but a real celebration of culture and friendship,” said Boris Titov, Chairman of the Russian section of the Russian-Chinese Committee for Friendship, Peace and Development, noting that cross-cultural Years emphasize the importance of dialogue and mutual understanding between different cultural traditions, and also help to expand the horizons of mutual perception and respect. –0–