Source: Global Times
Article of the Russian "Parliamentary Newspaper" on April 20, titled: "Rapid Growth in Demand for Chinese in Russia". April 20 is International Chinese Language Day. The demand for Chinese-speaking personnel in Russia increased more than 1.6 times last year. Not only translators, tour guides, and teachers, but also engineers, accountants, painters, chefs, and even bulldozer operators need to master Chinese. In Russia, Chinese is currently second in popularity only to English. Mikhail Maslov, director of the Institute of Asian and African Countries at Moscow State University, said that the number of Russians learning Chinese increases by 8% to 10% annually. The number of people learning online has surged, and the demand for Chinese textbooks is increasing rapidly.
Vladimir Melnikov, first deputy chairman of the Russian State Duma, said: "The main reason is certainly economic." As mutual investments between the two countries grow, more and more Russian companies are turning to cooperation with China, which drives the growing demand for Chinese-speaking professionals in Russia. For many Russians, mastering Chinese opens up new career prospects. Data from SuperJob, a Russian recruitment website, in 2024 showed that respondents who learned Chinese generally had higher incomes. Chinese ranks second in job vacancy demands, surpassing German and Spanish. The industries most in need of Chinese speakers are transportation logistics companies, B2B service providers, and industrial enterprises. In 2025, the "Russia Job" portal offered over 13,000 positions requiring Chinese language skills. For example, the Volgograd region needs Chinese translators with monthly wages ranging from 80,000 to 120,000 rubles (100 rubles is approximately equivalent to 9 yuan RMB). The Omsk region needs painters who understand Chinese, with monthly salaries reaching 30,000 rubles. Another reason for the popularity of Chinese in Russia is the opportunity for promising education. About 98 middle schools in Moscow offer Chinese as either the first or second foreign language, and about 200 universities in Russia offer Chinese courses. A significant factor contributing to the popularity of Chinese is the prevalence of Chinese culture in Russia. Melnikov said: "Many Russians are interested in Chinese history, martial arts, traditional medicine, and philosophy. Russian media pays attention to Sino-Russian relations and Chinese achievements." These help more and more Russians learn Chinese.
Dmitry Golin, vice president of the Russian Tourism Union, said that in 2024, nearly 1.9 million Russian tourists will visit China, accounting for 50% of inbound tourists to Russia, requiring Chinese services. Russian experts believe that the popularity of Chinese in Russia will continue to rise. (By Yelena Barabayeva, translated by Liu Yupeng)
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7495897892247405056/
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