On Cultural Diplomacy of China for Russia〔*〕

Liao Ying，Sun Yang，Yang Yan

(School of Foreign Languages Southwest Petroleum University，Chengdu Sichuan 610500)

Ⅰ．Tactics of cultural diplomacy for Russia

Cultural diversity has a unique and national character．Different cultures have different values．Having accumulated rich cultural heritage with long history，China is a typical ancient oriental country．Russia，whose territory is across Asia and Europe，owns a combination civilization of eastern style as well as western style．Therefore，Russia and China both have similarities and differences．Due to the diversity of two distinct cultures，tactics of cultural exchanges have been widened with the time goes by．In current development of two countries，China’s cultural diplomacy for Russia is mainly education －based，vigorously carrying out frequent national cultural projects，reshaping literary exchange and filmography prosperity，opening up the tourism market and promoting economic and trade development．

1．Cross－culture education to cultivate language and professional talents

Chinese former president De Xiaoping has ever proposed that，“Education decides the future of a nation．It is the fundamental career for a country．”Talents cultivation is inseparable from education;development of education determines the development of a nation’s future．From ancient times，China attached great importance to education all along，like ancient Confucian education and the military students training in Tsarist Russia sent by the Northern Warlords Government in 1920s．Recent years，with the improvement of Sino －Russia strategic cooperative partnership，the cooperation in education is booming．Russian Prime Minister Medvedev stated during his visit to China in October 2013 that the number of Chinese students in Russia will increase to 0．1million．Two governments will invest large sum of fund to education，especially the construction of Confucius Institute and university partnership programs．

Confucius Institute is a non－profit public educational organization affiliated to the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China，whose aim is to promote Chinese language and culture，support local Chinese teaching internationally，and facilitate cultural exchanges．By the end of 2014，475 Confucius Institutes and 851 Confucius Classrooms were established，distributed in 120 countries and regions．Russia owns 18 Confucius Institutes and 4 Confucius Classrooms．Language is the carrier of the culture and has its specific cultural connotations．The extraordinary culture in China needs effective carrier．〔1〕Chinese language bears extensive and profound Chinese culture and value．With the assistance of Confucius Institute，a successful cultural diplomacy，more and more Russians feel the beauty of Chinese values like Peace and Harmony．

Under the background of economic globalization，the internationalization of higher education has become a necessity．Since the Reform and Opening Up in China，well－ developed foreign higher education systems step into China，and Chinese Confucian moral and ideological education also travel abroad．As a result，with a higher quality，richer knowledge，broader thoughts and greater ability，talents fostered by international education can bettermeet market needs．Because of geographical advantages，Heilongjiang Province of China is the first area to established regional cooperation in higher education projects with Russia．13 universities in Heilongjiang Province conduct cooperative programs with 18 universities of 39 majors in Russia．By the year of 2020，the total number of students abroad of two sides will reach 100，000．A-part from university partnership programs in Heilongjiang Province，other provinces in China gradually started the cooperation with Russia，for example，Remin UniversityofChinaSigned Memorandum ofUnderstanding(MOU)with St．Petersburg State University．In May 2014，China’s Deputy Minister of Education Hao Ping Signed the MOU about establishment of Sino－Russia University with the first Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Russia in Shanghai during Putin’s visit to China．Another Sino － Russia U-niversity will be established in Shenzhen in 2015．

Russia enjoys the world’s largest oil and gas resources，and China is the one of the world’s major energy consuming countries．Both countries are important strategic energy cooperation partner，thus，cultivating talents in energy field is an essential goal of education cooperation between Russia and China．In China，there are six petroleum universities，such as China University of Petroleum，Southwest Petroleum University，Xi’an Shiyou University and etc．．Besides，China University of Geosciences and Chongqing University of Science and Technologyalso set up the major of Petroleum Engineering．Some of these university have 2+2 or 2+3 programs with Russian universities．Moreover，some petroleum universities set up language major — Russian．Thus cultivating counterpart talents has become one of the unique feature of education cooperation between China and Russia．

2．National cultural projects to provide platform for cultural exchanges

Nowadays，“the Year of China”，“the Year of language”and“the Year of tourism”have become the most important way for China to expand foreign cultural exchanges，which gained great achievement with its high participation and wide dissemination．In the year of 2006 and 2007，the“Year of Russia”and the“Year of China”were respectively organized in China and Russia．More than 200 activities，including politics，economy，culture，education，media and other fields fully launched during two years．These activities also provide opportunities for people to communicate．For the continuation of China’s national projects，in the year of 2009 and 2010，the“Year of Russian”and the“Year of Chinese”were respectively held in China and Russia．Language，as the most direct and important tool in receiving foreign cultures，plays a significant role to foreign exchange．Wide promotion of Russian and Chinese can reduce cultural communication barriers．The“Year of Country”and“the year of language”are direct ways for people’s friendship，which can enhance two people’s connection and communication．It is the foundation of economic and trade cooperation between two countries which also improve people’s friendship and enhance their trust．

3．Reconstruction of prosperous literature and film exchanges

Literature is the pioneer of cultural exchanges，and literary works can best reflect a national customs and habits．Russian writer Leo Tolstoy，Gorky，Chekhov，Pushkin’s literary works are well－ known in China，and their works are still appeared in the Chinese language textbooks．The spirit from their literary works has affected generations of Chinese people．Even Soviet Union had collapsed，the promotion and Sino －Russian literature translation have never stopped．The literary works The Republic of Wine and Big Breasts and Wide Hips written by Chinese famous writer，Nobel Prize winner Mo Yan have been translated by Russian Oriental Research Center and the Russian Translation Institute．The publication of these two Russian version of Mo Yan’s works helped Russian people vividly understand the Chinese culture and customs．

In addition to literature works，Russian film and TV series have ever been introduced to China．Although after collapse of Soviet Union，there was a period of space，yet，frequent film exchanges in recent years provide a new possibility for filmography exchanges．

4．Tourism market expansion to improve the development of economy and trade

Tourism is the bridge of civilization spread ，cultural exchanges and friendship enhancement．Recent years，with the stable development in economy and trade relationship between Russia and China，tourism cooperation has increased remarkably．From 2000 to 2012，Russia has always been a major tourism resource for China．In 2012，Russian visitors to China reached 2，426，200，the number of tourists accounted for nearly halfof total European tourism market．〔2〕

In order to further promote tourism development in China and Russia，in the year of 2012 and 2013，Russia and China has held the“Year of Tourism”．In the first nine month of 2013，Chinese visitors to Russia have reached 300，000 with 40%increase．Nowadays，Russia has been the most popular and the third largest tourist destination．The development of tourism of two countries also reflects two nations’friendship and will improve China’s international image．

Ⅱ．Preliminary achievements of cultural diplomacy in China for Russia

Since Reform and opening up，China has opened doors to the world，and strove forward towards internationalization．Cultural exchanges have become an effective diplomatic way to show a nation’s unique concept of cultural values，way of development，economic system and its social system model．〔3〕For a decade，China has gained initial achievement through appropriate cultural diplomacy for Russia．

1．Solid Sino － Russia strategic cooperation partnership

In March 2013，Chinese President Xi Jingping and his wife Peng Liyuan had a state visit to Russia．The first lady visited the No．15 Boarding School in Moscow．She brought gifts to orphans there and enjoyed the performances of the students．Her elegance，kindness and Typical Chinese presents like Shu embroidery products leave a deep impression on Russian people．The“First Lady Diplomacy”enhanced the partnership between China and Russia．

In the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Russia，energy cooperation has always been a highlight．Russia，who enjoys the world’s largest natural gas storage，is also the world’s biggest exporter of natural gas as well as world’s second largest oil reserves country．However，China owns comparatively lower oil and gas reserves．Large population as in China，its demand for oil and gas rose swiftly．This provides good basis for energy cooperation between China and Russia．Merely in no more than two years，the two sides have launched a number of energy cooperation，including a 30 years’natural gas cooperation contract．From 2018，Russia will supply gas to East of China through the Sino －Russian gas pipeline，and its capacity will ultimately reach 38 billion cubic meters a year．It is obvious that vigorous development of cultural diplomacy have contributed to the new era of energy cooperation between China and Russia．

2．Vigorous Sino － Russia economy and trade development

Cultural diplomacy not only promote the development of education and tourism，but also open the door for bilateral economic and trade．China has become the largest trading partner for Russia．Now Russia is suffering from economic sanctions from Europe and the United States，which is a serious obstacle to economic development．Russia urgently need a large sum of money to boost economic growth and has to find a stable and reliable partner during this difficult period of time．China and Russia keep relatively stable bilateral relations，especially in recent years，booming border trade promote inland trade and regional trade becomes the embodiment of their thriving economic trade．The researchers also predicted that economic and trade cooperation between two countries will achieve further upgrade．Hence there is great potential and space in the field of financial cooperation for China and Russia．

3．Deep Sino －Russia friendship

People of two countries，direct participants of cultural diplomacy，developed a deep friendship and increased the mutual trust．Intimate relations of two people helped eliminate the controversy between the two countries．China is a country prone to natural disasters．When China encountered great catastrophes，Russia always offered a helping hand promptly，especially during the Wen Chuan earthquake of Sichuan Province in May 2008 and Lu Dian earthquake of Yunnan Province in August 2014．Russia never hesitated to provide help．A friend in need is a friend indeed．What Russia did reflects the profound friendship between the two people．

Ⅲ．Existing problems of cultural diplomacy for Russia

1．Hysteresis of language

Language spread means the culture spread;language exchanges mean cultural exchanges;language assimilation means culture assimilation．〔4〕Language，not only a system of symbols and tool of communication，is also a social culture itself．As a communication tool，combined with social and cultural function of its own，language is irreplaceable than any other communication tools．Globally，62 countries use English as their official language．More than 150 billion people speak English．English speaking countries like UK，the USA and Australia etc．stand a good position in international relations．UNESCO has ever announced the world top ten difficult languages，Chinese ranks the top one．Although，Confucius Institute has established in Russia with annually increasing Chinese language learners，few people is proficient in Chinese language in Russia because of difficult pronunciation and complex language structure．In China，117 universities set up Russian major，but few people chose Russian Major to study for inadequate qualified teachers and low employment．Lack of language talents is the biggest obstacles for China’s cultural diplomacy for Russia，and it is also the most prominent and essential problem．Thus，it should not blindly emphasize the quantity rather than quality after the establishment of Confucius Institute in Russia and the setting up of Russian major in China．All investment of government should be fully used so that good results can be gained．

2．Imbalance of“bringing in”and“going out”

The report at sixteenth National Congress clearly emphasized the opening up policy by encouraging effective implement of“Bringing In and Going Out”．However，the cultural exchanges of“Bringing In and Going Out”between Russia and China are imbalanced to some extent．From Soviet songs Moscow Nights to Opera 2 by today’s popular Russian singer Vitas;from Soviet film Battle of Moscow to Russian Modern film Gagarin:Space;from Tsarist Russian writers Gorky，Leo Tolstoy and Pushkin to Russian contemporary writer Victor famous of Silent Flame，we did“Bringing In”indeed，however，we have few “Going Out”．Once the imbalance of“Bringing In”and“Going Out”lasts long，it will eventually lead to an abnormal development．What’s more，the exchange of literature works and filmography are unusually imbalanced．The Russian works in China are still old classic novels from Soviet times or former Soviet Union，few new works imported．Only adhering to the combination of“Bringing In”and“Going Out”and focus on update of cultural exchange can China keep a healthy and stable development with Russia as well as improving the level of China’s cultural diplomacy．

3．Weakness of national cultural strategy

Even though the communication in cultural diplomacy between China and Russia becomes more and more frequent，its impact is far from adequate like energy strategic cooperative partnership．The communist party has realized the importance of the soft strength of culture，the focus on productive forces and economic construction distract the attention．The strategy of cul-ture is still weak．Cultural diplomacy between China and Russia is still restrained mostly in national governments．After the Cold War，the successive governments of Korea place great emphasis on Cultural development．They adhere to cultural diplomatic policy and treat it as important as economic diplomacy and political diplomacy．The budget was increased and plans were designed．These measures not only establish a good impression for Korea in the world but also enhance its soft power．Consequently，we ought to borrow other countries’success in cultural diplomacy and walk out a new way to enhance the partnership between Russia and other countries．

4．Limitation of regional development

Five autonomous provinces(Heilongjiang Province，Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region，Gansu Province and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region)of China border Russia．This natural advantage in geography opens the door of communication and promotes the commerce between the two countries．However，a majority of cultural diplomatic activities among governments are conducted merely in Heilongjiang Province．Vast land as China，limitation of Cultural boundaries should be broken to enhance the development all－around way．

Ⅳ．Conclusion

Cultural diplomacy，a method to coordinate by soft way，has a great influence on soft power and assist the country to establish a good national image to some extent．The role in the world political stage，international relationship，national reputation and its impact depend on the country’s cultural diplomacy．〔5〕In recent years，the relationship between China and Russia reaches a peak in cultural diplomacy through various cooperation and communication．Distinct positive achievements have been enlightened．Cultural diplomacy，political diplomacy，economic diplomacy and military diplomacy illuminate each other．Cultural diplomacy is essential to the peace and stability among countries．China and Russia have always been good neighbors as well as good partners．In the future，rich cultural activities will be carried out and the friendship between the two countries will last forever．

〔1〕Zhu Hongbin，Ideological Diplomacy—New Stage in Chinese Cultural Development，Shanghai Culture，2014(4)，pp．67 －71．

〔2〕Chi Wenping，Research on Promoting Inbound Tourism Market through Cultural Communication between China and Russia，Tourism Overview，2014(1)，pp．221 －222．

〔3〕Zhao Dongbo，Li Jinrong，On Future Development of Cultural Diplomacy between China and Russia，Youth and Society，2013(11)，pp．315 －316．

〔4〕Cai Yongliang，Reflections on Language Strategy in China，Foreign Language World，2011(1)，pp．8 －15．

〔5〕Morgenthau，Politics among Nations，Shanghai Translation Publishing House，1995．