Moscow: Russia plans to open centres to study Russian language in China, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov said.

"Our plans provide for such a task," he told reporters yesterday.

Besides, according to the vice-premier, the Russian government "backs the opening of Confucius centres in Russia". However, in the vice-premier s opinion, it is necessary to conclude an agreement for development and operation of such centres.

This agreement will "regulate the status of cultural centres in China and Russia". "Work on these agreements is dragging feet," Zhukov regretted.

He explained that Russia would like to lend these centres "a definite status, so that staffers would be granted a diplomatic status, but China regards this redundant".

However, Zhukov continued, centres are established with state money, and "it seems to us that it would be better to lend them a definite legal status, to provide definite legislation for their operation so that difficulties would not emerge".

In general, Zhukov continued, Russian-Chinese relations in the sphere of education "are developing well; the number of students studying in Russia is on the rise, and vice versa, exchange in schoolchildren is active".

For instance more than 1,000 Chinese children, quake-stricken in the Sichuan province, had their rest in Russia this year, and over 500 children will be holiday-making in 2009.

Besides, Zhukov went on to say, Russia and China already approved a plan for holding Russian Language Year in China in 2009 and are now drafting a plan for holding Chinese Language Year in Russia.
Source : PTI