Jointly invited by the People's Daily Online and RIA Novosti, Alexander Zhukov, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, will communicate online with Chinese netizens on issues such as "China-Russia relations and the Year of the Russian Language in China." This will take place on the Strong Nation Forum (bbs.people.com.cn) on March 19. A four-member reporting team headed by He Jiazheng, President of People's Daily Online, left for Moscow on March 17.

Such a move by People's Daily Online further promotes the sustained development of the China-Russia strategic partnership, enhances friendship between the Chinese and Russian peoples. It also advances the cultural cooperation in 2009 "Year of the Russian Language in China” and 2010 "Year of the Chinese Language in Russia" that was agreed upon by the heads of state of both countries. This is the second time that People's Daily Online has gone on assignment to Russia to interview a Russian state leader after conducting an exclusive interview with Dmitry Medvedev in 2007.

"Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov will give an exclusive interview with People's Daily Online on March 19 in Russia and will conduct online communications with Chinese netizens. It will be the second time that People's Daily Online has been assigned to Russia, and at the same time, it will be the second exclusive interview conducted with a Russian state leader. During People's Daily Online's first visit to Russia in 2007, it interviewed Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister at the time. Medvedev communicated online with Chinese netizens, an action which received a good response. Russia is a friendly neighbor of China, and People’s Daily Online hopes to build a bridge between China and Russia by enhancing communications and exchanges, so as to make its own contribution to the development of a friendly China-Russia partnership." said He Jiazheng, President of People's Daily Online.

"As President He has said, this trip to Russia to interview Alexander Zhukov will be the second time that People's Daily Online has interviewed a Russian state leader. Last time, it was Medvedev that was interviewed. As China's major news website, People's Daily Online has made outstanding contributions in communicating Chinese and Russian friendship and promoting mutual trust. This time the website will continue to make all-out efforts to strengthen friendly cooperation between China and Russia," said Wang Dongzheng, Director of the Foreign Affairs Department of People's Daily Online.

According to incomplete statistics, over 200 foreign dignitaries, experts, scholars, and media reporters have chatted online on the Strong Nation Forum to date. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev; WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy; Bolat Nurgaliyev, Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization; Robert Mundell, Nobel Laureate in economics and "father of the euro"; former French Prime Minister Michel Rocard; former US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson; former US Labor Secretary Elaine Chao; as well as ambassadors to China from countries including Russia, the UK, Germany, France and Italy were among the guests who have chatted with netizens online via the Strong Country Forum on various occasions, where they were warmly welcomed by netizens.

By People's Daily Online