by Xinhua writers Yu Maofeng, Gao Fan
MOSCOW, March 21 (Xinhua) -- The Year of Chinese Language, about to start here, reflects China's enhanced national power, stronger Sino-Russian ties and a growing demand for Chinese language talents.
Those mastering Chinese in fact are proving more successful in job hunting.
Nearly 100 state-funded Russian universities run Chinese language courses, with more than 40 having it as their primary foreign language. The number of undergraduate and postgraduate students learning Chinese is estimated to exceed 10,000.
Elementary and high schools have shared the enthusiasm for Chinese. Partial statistics show that Chinese language courses are available at more than 10 elementary and high schools in Moscow, where some 2,000 students are learning Chinese.
"All kids hope to learn the Chinese language. Parents always consult us about whether they should send their children to learn Chinese," Olga Zavyalova, a scholar with the Far East Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Xinhua in an interview.
In an article titled Chinese in Russia - Theory and Practice, published by Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta recently, Zavyalova said Russians began studying Chinese a long time ago mainly for the purpose of research. As China's national strength intensified, more Russians now learn Chinese to hitch a ride on the booming Chinese economy.
Olga Semenova, headmistress of the Moscow-based 1948 school, which is famous for Chinese language teaching, said almost all of the school's students were able to enter renowned universities such as Moscow State Institute of International Relations and eventually land well-paying jobs.
