Masha, a nine-year-old girl, has also been learning Chinese over the past four years. She attends the prestigious No. 11 School of Moscow, which offers Chinese courses.

The Chinese language is very hard, and the characters are difficult to write, Masha said. But the language is interesting and she is determined to carry on her studies, she added.

Both Vania and Masha would like to major in Chinese when they enter college. Their parents also hope their kids can learn to understand, respect and love the Chinese culture so that when they grow up they can work to help deepen the mutual understanding between Russia and China.

"I was born in the Far East region and grew up at a time when the song 'China and Russia are friends forever' was widely popular," president of Far Eastern National University Vladimir Kurilov once told Xinhua.

Kurilov said besides Chinese majors, many of those majoring in international relations, law and economics also show great zest for studying the Chinese language and culture.

"On one occasion, it turned out that a math student won the Chinese language contest in our university," he said.

Ren Guangxuan, the Chinese director of the Confucius Institute at Moscow State University, told Xinhua that his institute has staged colorful activities including lectures, exhibitions, contests and training programs, attracting the participation of thousands of Russians and having helped them to know more about China, its language, culture and current development.

FERVENT ANTICIPATION

In fact, the first event celebrating the "Year of Chinese Language" in Russia in 2010 was a joint performance by Chinese and Russian artists of a classic Russian opera, the best among the ten operas composed by Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky.

On Jan. 25, artists from China's Central Conservatory of Music and Russia's Moscow Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky Conservatory successfully wooed Russian audience by presenting the three-act opera Eugene Onegin with consummate cooperation in directing, acting and choreography.

In March, a spectrum of activities themed on the "Year of Chinese Language" have triggered a new wave of "China fervor" in Russia.

According to a list published on the website of the Chinese embassy in Russia, a total of 87 activities are expected to be staged this year, including singing contests and language corners.

Online Confucius Institutes designed to offer long-distance Chinese language education to Russian youngsters and a platform for friendly communication between the youths of the two countries will also be set up.

China's National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, or Hanban, will send experts to Russia to help train local teachers.

Grigory Zhigaekov, a senior student in Moscow State Institute of International Relations, was one of the runner-up winners in the eighth "Chinese Bridge" in 2009, a Chinese proficiency competition for foreign college students.

He told Xinhua that "for Russians who wish to know the Chinese culture, all activities -- exhibitions, movies, or concerts – are precious opportunities."

On the eve of the upcoming "Year of the Chinese Language," Li Hui, Chinese ambassador to Russia, said that from now on, China will offer various scholarships to Russian students to fund their studies in China .

This year, Li said, more than 2,000 Russian scholars and students are expected to visit China for short-term research and learning programs. The Chinese government will also provide regular Chinese teaching classes for Russian teachers, he said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 23, 2010)