Moscow and Beijing are in talks to bring Russian language learning to China, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets said on Monday.

"As of today, we can note a boost in interest among young people and students in learning Russian and Chinese respectively," she said, noting that Chinese ranks sixth among the foreign languages studied by Russians.

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"Today, we are raising the issue and talking about a similar development of Russian language study, about forming united approaches to learning Russian on the territory of the Chinese People's Republic," she continued.

The Russian Deputy Prime Minister also announced that both Moscow and Beijing are working to expand cooperation between their educational institutions. So far, around 900 bilateral agreements have been inked, while the number of exchange students has been gradually growing.

She further revealed that special programs are being developed to make both Russian and Chinese tourists feel at home in their respective countries despite the sudden increase of foreign visitors.

In related news, Russian and Chinese university leaders are scheduled to attend a Chinese science and education forum on Tuesday, July 5.

More than 400 visitors, including representatives from the China's Education Ministry and the Chinese embassy in Russia, are expected to grace the event. Other leaders from 90 Russian and 80 Chinese universities are also expected to be in attendance, the Moscow State University said.

The representatives from both countries would sign a number of agreements, strengthening their cooperation in higher education. In fact, an educational institution supported by Russia and China will soon open in Shenzhen free economic zone by September. The new institution, which is backed by the Moscow State University, would be accepting only up to 250 students at first.

TagsMoscow, Beijing, china, Russian language, Olga Golodets