China, Russia vow to advance cultural exchange

MOSCOW - Senior Chinese and Russian officials on Wednesday agreed here to work together and take effective measures to push forward people-to-people and cultural exchange programs between the two countries.

While meeting with Deputy Russian Prime Minister Olga Golodets Wednesday in Moscow, the Russian national capital, Chinese State Councilor Liu Yandong said people-to-people and cultural cooperation programs had become an important force to boost bilateral ties over the past five years, with cooperation fields expanding to nine fields ranging from education, tourism to media, and legions of events being organized in both countries, which attracted hundreds of millions of residents in the two countries, helping improve understanding and friendship of the two peoples.

Russian boys and girls learn Chinese kung fu at the new Chinese culture center in downtown Moscow on Dec 5, 2012. Occupying 2,500 square meters, the center is equipped with multi-functional halls, exhibition rooms, movie houses, libraries, and digital reading rooms, and also special rooms to teach Chinese kung fu, calligraphy, paper cutting and Chinese dances.[Photo/Xinhua]

It is necessary to take pragmatic measures to boost exchange programs in this regard so that they could benefit the peoples of the two countries and make new contribution to solidify and promote the Sino-Russian comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation, said Liu.

Liu and Golodets also co-chaired the 13th session of the China- Russia Committee on Humanities Cooperation.

While expressing her message of congratulations on the success of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the deputy Russian prime minister hailed the positive development signs in Russian-Chinese ties at present and echoed Liu's pledge in boosting people-to-people and cultural exchange programs in the future.

Following the meeting, Liu and Golodets attended a ceremony for signing of documents concerning educational cooperation and unveiled the Chinese Culture Center in Moscow.

Liu arrived in Moscow Tuesday, starting a four-leg visit which will also take her to Cambodia, New Zealand and Australia.

Russian primary school students perform at the new Chinese culture center in downtown Moscow on Dec 5, 2012. Occupying 2,500 square meters, the center is equipped with multi-functional halls, exhibition rooms, movie houses, libraries, and digital reading rooms, and also special rooms to teach Chinese kung fu, calligraphy, paper cutting and Chinese dances. [Photo/Xinhua]