Chinese scientist: Russian culture is important for China

International conference Russian Idea and Russia's Destiny has opened in the Chinese capital. The participants in the conference, Russian and Chinese scientists, have focused on the analysis of the history of transformation and the present state of Russian national consciousness, and also on the issues of compatibility of European and Chinese cultures.

"China and Russia," announced pro-rector of the Beijing University of Foreign Languages, professor Zhou Lai, "have been maintaining close contacts for centuries; that is why history itself predetermined the meeting of these two cultural giants." Mr. Zhou Lai underlined that the Russian culture "has a unique national character and it is very important for China." "Therefore," he added, "it is necessary to study the Russian idea in order to find the common grounds of Western and Chinese cultures." During his statement at the opening of the conference, Russian Ambassador in China Igor Rogachev stressed the specific importance of problems discussed by Russian and Chinese scientists for the strengthening of mutual understanding between Russian and Chinese people and for the future development of bilateral strategic partnership.

The four-day conference is organised by the Centre of Russian Language at the Beijing University of Foreign Languages and the Chinese Association of Researchers of the History of the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.