There is a growing interest in learning Russian in China, said Bei Wenli, Deputy director of the Center for Russian Studies at East China Normal University. According to him, this growth is due to the expansion of cultural, academic and political exchanges between the countries, as well as stable ties within the framework of strategic partnership. Russian literature and classics such as Pushkin and Tolstoy continue to arouse keen interest among the Chinese.
The philologist emphasized that knowledge of the Russian language helps Chinese researchers to better understand Russian society, culture and politics. Young people who seek to comprehend the rich literary heritage of Russia are particularly interested. In China, the Russian language is seen as the key to "decoding" the Russian mentality, said Bei Wenli.
According to Anna Fomina, a lecturer at Fudan University, the Russian language is becoming attractive to students not only in philological fields. It is seen as a competitive advantage in the labor market, and Russian culture and literature as a "soft power" capable of strengthening humanitarian ties between countries.
