Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova co-chaired the 21st session of the China-Russia Committee on Humanities Cooperation on Nov 25 via video link.

Sun said after 20 years of practice, the China-Russia humanities exchange mechanism is entering a more mature, stable and dynamic stage with closer personnel exchanges and fruitful results in cooperation in various fields.

The scale of annual two-way student exchanges has exceeded 104,000. Twelve associations of universities of the same kind have been established, covering 636 schools. The construction of joint laboratories and research centers are progressing in an orderly manner, she said.

In addition, Peking University and Moscow University took the lead in establishing the "China-Russia Mathematics Center". Events like cultural festivals, film festivals and youth sports games have been held successfully, making important contributions to enhancing the friendship between the two peoples and promoting exchanges and mutual learning among the two civilizations.

Sun introduced the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. She emphasized that people-to-people and cultural exchanges are an important part of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era.

She said the two sides should, under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, hold the China-Russia Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation and promote people-to-people bonds and mutual beneficial cooperation, in order to lay a solid social foundation for bilateral ties and the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Golikova spoke highly of the solid foundation, fruitful results and extensive influence of Russia-China humanities cooperation, and expressed willingness to work with China to broaden exchange channels, innovate cooperation mechanisms and initiate more practical cooperation projects, in order to promote humanities exchanges between the two countries to a new level.

Sun and Golikova also signed the meeting minutes and witnessed the signing of five cooperation deals.