President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping (retranslated): The launch of the Cross Years of China-Russia Cooperation in Education in this landmark year is a strategic decision that Mr Putin and I have adopted based on the long-term development of Chinese-Russian relations.
Education is a major bridge connecting people’s hearts and conveying friendship between nations. This is a noble project of our age that benefits future generations.
Cooperation between China and Russia in education has been growing stronger and bringing tangible results for years. The scale of bilateral student exchanges is consistently growing, cooperation between our universities is steadily progressing, and coordination at the level of research platforms and alliance mechanisms is becoming stronger. Taken together, this translates into a steadily growing number of jointly trained students and innovation projects, which are enriching the essence of Chinese-Russian relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction in the new era.
Friends,
Faculty and students,
Now that the world is changing at an unprecedented speed, strengthening ties and cooperation in education, implementing innovations and ensuring stable development have become a common choice for all countries. I hope that the Cross Years of Education will provide a unique opportunity for enhancing our mutual understanding and cooperation, expanding its scope and raising the level of our interaction.
It is essential to deepen our cooperation in personnel training, foster close interaction between our universities and research institutions, jointly train a team of world-class professionals, strengthen the strategic research potential of our countries, and join efforts to find solutions to complex scientific problems to boost the innovative development of our countries.
It is important to implement the concept of cross-civilisational enrichment, maintain mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation, promote the exchange of experience in the preservation and development of our cultural heritage and education management, and work together to enhance the standards of professionalism.
It is important to maintain our traditional friendship, unlock the potential for cooperation in education, foster mutual understanding, and encourage rapprochement between our peoples and friendship between our young people through substantive exchanges, and raise the next generation in the spirit of eternal friendship between China and Russia.
Friends,
Faculty and students,
The state flourishes when education blossoms. Stronger education makes a great nation stronger. I am confident that we will ensure the success of the Cross Years of China-Russia Cooperation in Education through joint efforts, and that our cooperation will produce great results.
Thank you.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, friends,
First and foremost, I want to say that I fully agree with my friend, President Xi Jinping: we are launching a truly landmark and significant joint initiative – holding Years of Education. This marks the tenth bilateral cross-year project undertaken by Russia and China – a tradition whereby we dedicate each initiative to one of the essential pillars of comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation between our nations.
Both in Russia and in China, there is a deep understanding that high-quality education is the bedrock of individual development and of society as a whole – of people’s ability to realise their potential and to advance professionally. Without it, economic progress is inconceivable, and it is impossible to build a truly cohesive, strong and genuinely sovereign state.
Allow me to quote a prominent Russian educator Konstantin Ushinsky. He wrote: “One of the primary tasks of education is to introduce each new generation to humanity’s shared endeavour – its endless striving towards the highest good.” I am confident that our Chinese friends share this outlook. That is why our two countries will continue to jointly expand and deepen our cooperation in education, drawing on the considerable experience we have built up through mutually beneficial and enriching collaboration.
I would like to remind you that Russia and China have established fifteen inter-university associations. A joint Russian-Chinese university, based at Lomonosov Moscow State University and the Beijing Institute of Technology, is operating successfully. Furthermore, Moscow State University, in partnership with Peking University, recently inaugurated the Russian-Chinese Institute of Fundamental Research. Our immediate plans include the launch of the Russian-Chinese Institute of Innovative Research by St Petersburg State University and Tsinghua University.
Naturally, we also greatly value the traditionally strong interest shown by our Chinese friends in studying Russian. It is taught at more than 200 universities and 125 schools across the PRC. Over 66,000 Chinese students are currently enrolled in language courses in Russia.
Conversely, the number of Russian citizens studying Chinese continues to grow year on year. That figure now exceeds 100,000, while another 20,000 Russians are mastering the language through educational programmes in the People’s Republic of China.
As for the Years of Education, their programme is very rich and diverse. It includes hundreds of projects in higher, secondary vocational and school education. Joint events will be organised in collaboration with relevant agencies, leading educational institutions and public organisations of both countries, encompassing the entire spectrum of Russian-Chinese academic and scientific cooperation.
An extensive series of conferences and seminars for teachers, as well as competitions and summer schools for students in Russia and China, has been scheduled.
Special attention will be given to breakthrough academic disciplines related to the implementation of innovative technologies, with a view to establishing joint laboratories and advanced research centres in knowledge-intensive fields.
The Years’ programme naturally encompasses the humanities and historical sciences. I consider it fundamentally important that the Russian Historical Society and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences have commenced work on a comprehensive, large-scale study of the Second World War. It will be devoted to the decisive role of our countries in the victory over Nazism and Japanese militarism, and to the inadmissibility of distorting historical truth.
Friends,
Taking this opportunity, I would like to address young people, all those who take part in Russian-Chinese educational and scientific exchanges and sincerely wish each and every one of you to find a vocation that resonates with your aspirations, to achieve personal fulfilment, to devote yourselves wholeheartedly to your work and to attain outstanding results on the path you have chosen.
In due course, you will assume responsibility for preserving and enhancing the rich traditions and partnership between Russia and China. I am convinced that you are fully equal to this responsibility and that you will successfully address all, even the most ambitious, tasks pertaining to the advancement of Russian-Chinese cooperation, the prospects of which are truly boundless.
Thank you.