Russian language center founded in Dalian

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Russia recently set up a Language Center in China's northeastern city of Dalian as part of the "Russian Language Year". It is the second such center in China, after the first opened in Beijing. Chinese State Councilor Liu Yandong and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov attended the plaque-unveiling ceremony at the Dalian University of Foreign Languages or DUFL.

The Russian Language Center, co-founded by DUFL and the Russkiy Mir Foundation, is the counterpart to China’s Confucius Institute. There are 38 such Russian Language Centers all over the world. The founding of the Center in Dalian will make DUFL an important research center for Russian language and culture.

Georgy Toloraya, head of Projects Department of Russkiy Mir Foundation, said, "Russian people are quite familiar with Dalian and Lushun. We are glad that the economic exchange and cooperation between the two countries have developed very fast and we intend to strengthen cultural cooperation. And Russian education at Dalian University of Foreign Languages is at a high level."

The Russkiy Mir Foundation was founded in 2007, aiming to develop the Russian language at home, support Russian language study abroad programs and generally promote Russian language and literature around the world.

Sun Yuhua, President of Dalian University of Foreign Languages, said, "The Russian Language Center will play an important role in promoting academic and other exchanges, especially among the youth of Russia and China. And it will greatly improve the quality and level of Russian education and other scientific research in the already well-established Russian educational system here."