MOSCOW, March 21 (Xinhua) -- China's enhanced national strength has given young Russians who can speak fluent Chinese an important advantage in career development, a Chinese diplomat said on the eve of the "Chinese Language Year" in Russia.
"Nowadays in Russia, university graduates with a good command of the Chinese language have more opportunities when looking for jobs," Pei Yufang, education counselor of the Chinese embassy in Russia, told Xinhua in a recent interview.
Pei said she saw some reports saying that in 2006, a sales manager at a Russian company who knew Chinese could earn 2,500 to 4,000 U. S. dollars a month, much higher than what was earned by their peers without any Chinese skills.
Chinese language education has a long history in Russia, Pei said. St. Petersburg University started to offer Chinese courses in the mid-19th century. However, it was not until recent years did the Russians realize the importance of learning Chinese.
Since China adopted the reform and opening-up policy, especially since the two countries forged a strategic partnership of cooperation in 2006, there has been a growing need for professionals with Chinese skills in Russia, prompting many people to take Chinese courses.
In the year 2007-2008, more than 100 Russian universities opened Chinese courses, with 40 of them offering Chinese as the first foreign language. Up to 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students were studying Chinese.
Meanwhile, the Chinese-learning craze has also spread to younger children. In Moscow alone, more than a dozen schools are now engaged in Chinese language education, with more than 2,000 students involved.
Pei said Confucius Institutes, the non-profit public institutions that aim to promote Chinese language and culture and support Chinese teaching internationally, have played an important role in enhancing the Chinese-learning fervor in Russia. By the end of 2007, 12 Confucius Institutes had been established across Russia.
