At the Sino-Russian College Presidents Summit which took place at Moscow State University, in Moscow, on July 5,2016, China’s Vice Premier Liu Yandong was on hand to speak about China-Russia university cooperation and noted that the summit brought together more than 200 university presidents to discuss cooperation in education.

Liu, who was accompanied by Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets, went on to say that university cultural exchanges play an important role for the two peoples and that, as university alliance grow, there are more students exchanges between the two and greater cooperation in running schools. These, Liu said, are the foundation of greater cooperation between China and Russia, which are in a critical period of reform and development and face difficult tasks.

Russia, Liu continued, has an advanced level in science and technology, education, culture and other areas, while China gives priority to educational development, reforms in education and to improving its ability to innovate and that China and Russia each have their own distinct advantages so long-term cooperation has great potential.

Liu described four expectations she has for university cooperation: one, to follow current trends, increase the number of disciplines, improve scientific research, and provide advice and technical support; two, to train more teachers and researchers, and share results to increase university strengths and competitiveness; three, to build a better platform and new forms of cooperation, and a unique model of Sino-Russian cooperation; and, four, to promote student exchanges and help young students be staunch defenders of the Sino-Russian friendship for generations to come.