Published on: 2026-05-19
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian language –
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Beijing, May 19 /Xinhua/ — With the joint assistance of the heads of state of China and Russia, the Cross-Cultural Years were successfully completed in 2025 and readiness is achieved to start the Years of Education in 2026, in order to write a new chapter in the history of cultural exchange.
“Mutual thematic annual visits have become a good tradition in the field of cultural and humanitarian exchange between China and Russia, as well as a vivid feature in the history of the development of relations between the two countries, which receives a wide response among the peoples of both countries,” noted CCP Chairman Xi Jinping.
For many years, Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin have jointly coordinated the holding of a range of diverse events within thematic years, repeatedly attending these events together and sending congratulatory letters, which underscores the high level and special character of Chinese-Russian relations, adding new momentum to the deepening of mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of the two countries.
SOCIETY IN THE SPHERE OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION — A PLEDGE OF GENERAL WELL-BEING
On December 31, 2025, Xi Jinping and V. Putin exchanged New Year’s greetings and announced that the years 2026-2027 would be Cross Years of Education in the two countries.
Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Konstantin Mogilevskiy believes that it is precisely the crossover years that will help the two countries confidently surpass the set bar for the number of academic exchanges. According to him, the start of the years coincides with the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the joint university MGU-PPI in Shenzhen. “Without exaggeration, it can be called the most famous symbol of our scientific and educational cooperation in recent years.”
On September 13, 2017, the leaders of the SCO and the FR sent congratulatory messages to the first China-Russia Joint University, created on the basis of Moscow State University named after M. V. Lomonosov and Peking University /PPI/, on the occasion of the start of the first academic year. In his message, Xi Jinping wished the educational institution to diligently develop into a university of a high level and to train highly qualified specialists for the benefit of strengthening China-Russia relations and friendship between the two countries.
“I remember the moment when in the assembly hall on the old campus we were read greetings from the leaders of two countries,” said the dean of the biology faculty, Andrey Kitashov. “Then it became clear that these words carried meaning, because in them was concentrated the will of two states, which is expressed through these greetings. This will was brought to life. Our ideas, our expectations were wiped away like sand. Then from that sand something had to be built anew and so on.”
In recent years, the scale and depth of educational exchange between China and Russia have been continuously expanding. Currently, more than 60,000 Chinese students are studying in Russia, while in China there are over 20,000 Russian students. Associations of specialized universities in China and Russia form the largest collaboration between universities of two countries in the world. In 2025, the “Lu Ban Workshop” was opened in Moscow, created jointly by Chinese and Russian universities. This is the world’s first “Lu Ban Workshop” that uses 5G technologies.
According to Oleg Yastrebov, rector of the Russian University of Peoples’ Friendship (RUDN) named after Patrice Lumumba, the overlapping years of education in Russia and China will give new impetus to the development of bilateral relations.
DELIVERING ESSENTIAL GOODS ALONG THE ROUTE
“Youth is the future of the country, the future of China-Russia relations, the future of China-Russia friendship,” says the congratulation from Xi Jinping on the occasion of the solemn launch of the Year of Friendly Youth Exchanges between China and Russia. He expressed hope that the youth of the two states will be able to “turn their own dreams into a common cause for the development and prosperity of our countries, make their positive contribution to strengthening the friendship of our peoples and to achieving a wonderful future for our countries.”
Years of youth exchanges between China and Russia in 2014-2015 were an important initiative, adopted by the joint decision of the heads of the two states. This was the first time that China conducted a year of exchange with another country dedicated to youth-related topics.
Deputy Director for Development of the FGBU All-Russian Children’s Center “Ocean” Natalya Seminyuda told correspondent Sinju that “when the top officials of the two states personally visited ‘Ocean,’ we felt a special responsibility and at the same time enormous support.” The leaders clearly demonstrated that the future partnership is built through youth communication, through mutual acquaintance with culture, traditions, and values.
Over the past two years, the center has welcomed more than 100 Chinese students. Thanks to a diverse program that included concerts, sailing classes, and gaming festivals, the teenagers became better acquainted with Russia and made friends with their Russian peers.
N. Seminuda highly appreciated the prospects of bilateral humanitarian exchanges, calling them a strong foundation for friendship between nations. “In practice, we have been convinced that such exchanges not only broaden horizons for children and educators—they also foster mutual understanding and sincere interest in the culture of the neighboring country,” she assured.
In April of this year, a joint performance of Chinese and Russian youth took place at the Tianjin University of Foreign Languages. “I am abroad for the first time,” 19-year-old Russian Anzhela said with excitement in her voice. “What I remember most is how we learned songs in each other’s languages together; it was incredibly fun.” Anzhela is a participant of the delegation from the All-Russian Children’s Center “Orlenok,” which has established contacts with many Chinese organizations.
As part of the visit of the Russian youth delegation to China, the Tianjin University of Foreign Languages, together with the All-Russian Children’s Center “Orlyonok,” organized the China-Russia Festival of Culture and Arts. Thirty-two participants of the Russian delegation from “Orlyonok” performed on one stage with Chinese students. Combining artistic self-expression with linguistic communication, the festival vividly demonstrated the results of exchanges between teenagers from the two countries.
“We hope that language will become a starting point for bringing people’s hearts closer, deepen mutual communication among young people, and help nurture as many young envoys as possible, contributing to the mutual enrichment of civilizations,” noted Li Yinyin, Rector of the Tianjin Foreign Languages University.
NAKED TRUTH — BASIC FOUNDATION OF TRUTH
As of today, China and Russia have successfully conducted a series of cross-themed national-level years: Years of Tourism, Years of Youth Exchanges, Years of Media Exchanges, Years of Interregional Cooperation, Years of Scientific and Technological and Innovation Cooperation, Years of Cooperation in the Field of Physical Culture and Sports, and Years of Culture. They have become a vivid testament to the practical rapprochement of the peoples of China and Russia.
In March 2013, during his first visit to Russia as Chairman of the CLSC, Xi Jinping jointly with V. Putin took part in the ceremony of opening the Year of Chinese Tourism in Russia. In his speech, he noted that tourism is a “bridge” for the spread of civilization, cultural exchange, and strengthening of friendship. He invited Russian friends to visit China, admire its natural beauty, get acquainted with Chinese civilization, and strengthen friendship between the peoples of both countries.
In recent years, the tourism industry has become a witness to increasingly active mutual exchanges between the peoples of two countries. In 2025, a policy of mutual visa-free regime came into effect, which led to a significant growth in the tourist flow in both countries.
On February 4 of this year, on the occasion of the Spring Festival / Chinese New Year according to the lunar calendar, Xi Jinping, during a video conference with V. Putin, especially noted that the Years of China-Russia Culture have been successfully completed, humanitarian exchange and cooperation between the two countries have reached a new level, and the ties between people have become even closer.
At the end of February, during the celebration of the Chinese New Year, the festival “Moscow Maslenitsa in Beijing” took place, the goal of which is to acquaint guests with Russian traditions and strengthen the cultural dialogue between the two capitals.
The celebration of Maslenitsa in China and the Chinese New Year in Russia, the box office success of the joint film “Red Silk” in Russia, and the delight with which Chinese audiences welcomed the new production of the opera “Eugene Onegin” — such cultural events build bridges to strengthen exchange and mutual understanding between the peoples of the two countries.
“Within the framework completed in 2025, the Year of Culture held more than 400 events, including reciprocal tours of leading creative groups, exchanges of exhibitions between the largest museums, cross-national tradition festivals, and much more,” said the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to China, Igor Morgulov, adding that programs focused on humanitarian cooperation help consolidate the public foundation of bilateral relations.
“The more such meetings there are, the stronger the mutual understanding between our peoples will become,” said the special representative of the President of the Russian Federation for relations with international organizations for the achievement of sustainable development goals, chairman of the Russian part of the Russian-Chinese Committee of Friendship, Peace and Development, Boris Titov.
According to the expert of the Far Eastern Federal University Andrey Deryabin, holding cross-themed years is becoming an effective platform for successful “people’s diplomacy.” “Within various initiatives during the cross-themed years, there is objectively a strengthening of mutual understanding of mentalities, stereotypes of perception are breaking down, trust is growing, and a positive perception of the relations between the peoples of the two countries towards our states is being formed,” he noted.
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