A grand ceremony was held on July 2 for a Russian language contest as part of China's "Russian Language Year" cultural event at the new broadcasting studio of People's Daily Online. The Contest is jointly sponsored by the People's Daily and RIA Novosti of Russia, and hosted by People's Daily Online and RUS News Website.

Distinguished officials attended the launch ceremony, including the Deputy Editor-in-chief of the People's Daily Ma Li, Deputy Director of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television Tian Jin, Vice Chairman of the Sino-Russian Friendship Committee Liu Shu, Chargé D'affaires at the Russian Embassy in China Igor Morgulov, and the Deputy Secretary-general of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Vladimir Zakharov.

Also attending the ceremony were representatives from various organizations, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, the China Russian Language Teaching Research Institute, foreign embassies in China, higher education institutions in Beijing and 30 domestic and foreign news agencies.

The online contest is held in 2009 to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia, which has also been designated the "Year of Russian Language" by the heads of state of both countries. As one of the key events in the 2009 "Year of Russian Language," the Contest aims to further advance linguistic and cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and Russia, enhance mutual understanding between Chinese and Russian citizens, and raise the level of the China-Russia strategic cooperation partnership.

The Contest is open to all students learning Russian in China and Chinese who have studied the language. It starts on July 2 and will end on September 2. For the two-month contest, netizens must answer questions in Russian about Russia's history, national conditions, literature, society and arts online. Participants should also submit a Russian composition, entitled "Russia and me". The Contest is divided into three groups: a lower grade group (for freshman and sophomore), a higher grade group (for junior and senior), and a graduate student and non-student group. In each group there will be two first prize winners, four second prize winners, eight third prize winners and 10 honorary prize winners. Winners of the first prize can enjoy a one-week free trip to Russia.


Ma Li, Deputy Editor-in-chief of the People's Daily, delivers a speech during the ceremony.

During the ceremony, Deputy Editor-in-chief of the People's Daily Ma Li, Deputy Director of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television Tian Jin, Chargé D'affaires of Russian Embassy in China Igor Morgulov, Vice Chairman of the Sino-Russian Friendship Committee Liu Shu, President of People’s Daily Online He Jiazheng, and Chief of RIA Novosti's Beijing Branch Stanislav M. Krans each delivered a speech respectively.

Deputy Editor-in-chief Ma Li said in her address that the Russian Language contest, as one of the major activities for China's "Year of Russian language," will further cement mutual understanding and friendship between people of the two countries, especially between the young people who represent the future of the two nations. It will also deepen cultural exchanges between China and Russia, open up the foundation of friendship and make due contribution to accelerate the promotion and dissemination of Russian language in China and Chinese language in Russia.


He Jiazheng, President of People's Daily Online, delivers a speech at the ceremony.
People's Daily Online has always attached great importance to international communication, dissemination, and development. The President of People's Daily Online He Jiazheng pointed out in his speech. People's Daily Online is committed to building a platform for exchange between China and the rest of the world in a vivid and unique way. He said, "On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of China-Russian diplomatic ties and the holding of China's 'Year of Russian language,' People's Daily Online and the Russian News & Information Agency (rusnews.cn), jointly hold this language contest. It aims to attract more Chinese to learn Russian language and culture by taking advantage of new Internet technologies, so as to deepen understanding and friendship between the people of the two countries, teenagers in particular, and build a bridge of friendship between China and Russia. The online media is able to make significant achievements in promoting friendly and cooperative relations between China and the rest of the world."

He added that People's Daily Online will contribute to the development of a China-Russia strategic partnership through this activity, and People's Daily Online, as an Internet media, will continue to innovate ideas, content and forms to establish an outstanding and vigorous platform for friendly communication between China and Russia, as well as between China and other foreign countries.



As a model of media cooperation between China and Russia, People's Daily Online and the Russian News & Information Agency have always been engaged in strengthening mutual understanding between the two countries, and enhancing communication and friendship between the two people. The Russian language edition of People's Daily Online has held many influential activities promoting friendship and deepening cultural communication between China and Russia. It has gradually become an important platform disseminating information about China to Russia and other Russian-speaking countries.

By People's Daily Online