【Text by Observers Network, Liu Chenghui】"Breaking away from the Western track, Russians see China as a new role model." As the West and the United States intensify great power confrontation and escalate tensions, the deepening relationship between China and Russia has drawn attention from American media.
The New York Times in the United States published a long article on June 30, stating that as relations between Russia and the West deteriorated, especially after the outbreak of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, the Russian society that once favored the West is rapidly moving towards China. Chinese culture and products are everywhere in Moscow, many Russian youths are learning Chinese and want to study in China, and Chinese cars are flooding the Russian market.
Analysts say this phenomenon is not only due to China's support for Russia in foreign affairs and economy, but also related to China's own development. However, some people still have a fondness for Western products, believing that their interest in China may be temporary, and once relations with the West improve, this "China fever" might fade.
Chinese restaurants in Moscow are packed. The New York Times
"Russians show strong interest in China, as if they have discovered another planet."
The article says that for Russians who used to revere everything Western, China has become very fashionable. Young people are studying Chinese, and Chinese culture and products are everywhere in Moscow.
At the entrance of a large Chinese-themed park in Moscow, Yelena Ievskaia is completing her university assignment. In the background of the magnificent pavilions, arch bridges, ponds, and Confucius statues, one of her friends uses a mobile phone to film her speaking fluently in Chinese, praising the park.
Yelena Ievskaia, a first-year student at Moscow City University, said she chose to study Chinese because she believes China is rising, and mastering this language can bring her better prospects. Now, many universities in Moscow offer similar courses.
She said, "Many young people want to study in China. There are so many opportunities there. China is cool and developing very fast."
The New York Times expressed amazement that in a country that once revered everything Western, an unexpected change has occurred: China has become desirable and fashionable to Russians.
Russians taking wedding photos in a Chinese-themed park. The New York Times
Chinese cars are now everywhere on the streets of Moscow; the elite class in Russia employ Chinese nannies to encourage their children to learn Chinese early; museums and art institutions in Moscow are competing to hold Chinese exhibitions and performances...
Kirill Babayev, director of the Institute of China and Contemporary Asia at the Russian Academy of Sciences, wrote in an email: "The past three years have allowed Russians to view the East in a new light, no longer just seeing it as an alternative to Europe, but as a mainstream direction for business, tourism, and study."
He added, "The Russian public shows great interest in this trend, as if they have just discovered another planet."
Since the outbreak of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, China has not only purchased Russian oil and gas, but also Chinese products have filled the shortages faced by Russia due to Western sanctions. All of these have fueled a growing enthusiasm for Chinese goods and culture throughout Russia.
In Moscow, a few public schools that offer Chinese courses are already overwhelmed; not only language universities, but even technical colleges are offering Chinese courses. Recruitment websites show that the number of jobs requiring Chinese has surged in recent years.
Chinese drama directors are now adapting modern Chinese novels into plays, which are performed in theaters that once welcomed Western artists.
This April, a major museum in Moscow held an exhibition of porcelain and cultural relics from the National Museum of China. Books about Chinese culture are placed in prominent positions in bookstores.
In January, the Moscow municipal government decorated the city center with red lanterns during the Spring Festival, and placed a giant panda holding a Christmas tree near Red Square.
The Moscow metro has specially opened a red "Chinese-themed train" and translated the metro map into Chinese. City billboards and national television stations quote Chinese "golden phrases," while Chinese restaurants are rapidly expanding across Russia.
Vladimir Gorb, founder of a company providing nanny services to the Russian elite, said he has had to accelerate recruitment to meet the growing demand for Chinese nannies. He said that the monthly salary for Chinese nannies can reach $5,000 - which is considered high in Russia, but it's still difficult to find workers.
He pointed out that although English nannies are still the most popular, Chinese nannies have replaced French nannies as the second choice.
Chinese brand cars are almost everywhere in Russia. The New York Times
Chinese cars are a significant symbol of Russia's embrace of China. According to data from the automotive market consulting firm Autostat, the sales of Chinese cars in Russia exceeded 900,000 units last year, compared to 115,000 units in 2021.
Sergei Stil'yan, a Russian radio program host who used to test European cars across Europe, now exclusively introduces Chinese cars in his car blog on YouTube.
He said, "BMW is still more prestigious in Russia, but I know some people have switched from Porsche to Li Auto." Now, this Chinese brand is also common on the streets of Moscow.
"China is our only friend."
Alexander Grek, a Russian magazine editor and a Chinese enthusiast with five children, said there are generational differences in the younger generation's perception of China.
"Children over 14 still prefer the West," he said, "but the younger ones know almost nothing about the West and are instead interested in Asia."
"They don't see any American-made products, everything around them is made in China." Grek, 59, was sipping green tea in a café in Moscow, saying that all his children have studied Chinese, and one of his 14-year-old daughters can already communicate fluently. She will live with a Chinese family next summer to practice her spoken Chinese. "It's like when children used to go to England to learn English."
For Grek and his family, the reason is simple.
"China is now our only friend," he said, listing some technological fields where China is a world leader, such as solar energy and artificial intelligence. "It is becoming a top global power."
Chinese advertisements on the streets of Moscow. The New York Times
However, despite the growing popularity of Chinese products, Russians still have a fondness for Western products, especially those brands that are difficult to obtain due to sanctions. For example, in Moscow, a taxi driver who drives a Chinese car said that if the price is the same, they would still prefer German cars.
Moreover, Western brands are still prevalent on the streets of Moscow. A newly built upscale residential area in Moscow is named "Knightsbridge Private Park" and "Berkley" with London-style names, rather than names evoking Shanghai or Beijing. Even a Chinese-funded commercial area near Moscow is called "GreenWood", an English name.
Some Russians say that the increase in their interest in China may be a temporary measure.
Yulia Kuznetsova, a Chinese language and culture expert, said she still remembers that studying Chinese was once considered very unusual, and sinologists were a marginal group. She said she believes that once relations with the West improve, this "China fever" will end. "We can only be close to Europe because similar or even identical cultures connect us."
Official data shows that China has remained Russia's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years. In 2024, Sino-Russian bilateral trade reached 244.8 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 1.9 percent year-on-year, setting a new historical record. According to the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, as of August 2024, Russia and China are jointly implementing 86 large projects with an estimated investment of 1.8 trillion rubles. These investments involve multiple areas, including raw materials and chemicals, agriculture and automobile industry, home appliance production, and transportation and logistics infrastructure construction. In a program broadcast on May 4, Russian President Putin stated that Sino-Russian relations are reliable and stable, and "the existence of this relationship itself strengthens world stability."
"The current Sino-Russian relationship is not empty talk; it has far-reaching strategic significance. Why? First of all, because the national interests of our two countries align. We are neighbors, and building good relations is necessary. It is a factor beneficial to the development of both countries," Putin pointed out. "Today, Sino-Russian relations are playing a role and the role is very effective, especially in a time when the world is increasingly unstable. The reliability and stability of Sino-Russian relations themselves strengthen world stability."
This article is exclusive to Observers Network. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.
Original text: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7521912261330387498/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author and others. Please express your attitude using the 【Up/Down】 buttons below.