Harbin, a city of cross-styles & friendship

Illustration:Chen Xia/GT

Russian-style music, language and architecture are bringing together the peoples of China and Russia, who are trying to take bilateral cultural ties to new heights. As the year 2024 marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia, the two countries are holding a China-Russia Year of Culture. 

At 9 o'clock in the evening on Central Street, a major tourist area in Harbin, Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, an artist played a lively Russian-style tune during a performance. As I walked down the bustling street, I saw a variety of cultural activities taking place. This type of scene is very common in downtown Harbin, but was especially more so during my time there as the 8th China-Russia Expo was being held in the city.

Earlier in the morning, upon my arrival at the local train station, Ivan, a Moscow-born student studying cross-cultural communication at Heilongjiang University, told me that Harbin shows some Russian influence in its unique mixture of architecture, literature, music and culture. The St. Sophia Cathedral near Central Street is just one example, he was proud to say.

However, what he didn't know was that this was not my first time to the city. Well known for its historical Russian cultural influence, Harbin is also famous for its role as an important gateway in China-Russia trade today.

For this 20-year-old student who was once afraid of studying overseas alone, this city was unique. "Studying in China was my first choice," Ivan said.  

During my stay in the city, one of the most impressive individuals I came across was Denis Daňko, 45, the owner of Daňko Bakery responsible for providing desserts and snacks for the 8th China-Russia Expo. Originally from Khabarovsk in the Russian Far East region, he has been living in China for nearly 20 years. Daňko told me that the natural closeness between Chinese and Russian cultures was the reason he decided to settle in China.

In Daňko's view, baking is not just a livelihood, but also a way to bring the people of China and Russia closer together. Many people in Harbin enjoy Russian bread, creating a warm and pleasant atmosphere that attracted Daňko and his family to put down roots here. "Harbin is my second hometown," he said.

"Me and my wife are foreigners. However, our children were born in China, so they are just like ordinary Chinese people. From kindergarten and elementary school to future university, work and marriage, they will all be here. Harbin is our home," Daňko said.

My third stop was the Harbin Institute of Technology. 

The university is well-known as a cornerstone of China-Russia cooperation in higher education, a connection that can be traced back to the mid-20th century. It was established by Russian professionals as a Russian-Chinese technical college to train personnel for the Chinese Eastern Railway, a major transport route in the Pacific region. 

For more than 70 years, the university has exemplified the strong friendship between the two nations, fostering close ties with leading Russian universities in education, science, technology and other fields. 

Language and education also bring the two peoples together. In recent years, China-Russia education cooperation has achieved fruitful results and is experiencing good momentum. To date, about 50,000 Chinese citizens have received a higher education in Russia. At the same time, 16,000 Russians are studying in China. It is expected that the number of Chinese students in Russia and Russian students in China will continue to grow.

During his state visit to China, Russian President Vladimir Putin paid a visit to the Harbin Institute of Technology, where he met with Chinese and Russian students and faculty. 

For students and teachers at one of China's leading providers of higher education in technology and a major R&D and innovation center, Putin's visit left a great impression on them. 

"Academic exchanges are extremely important, allowing us to combine the best traditions and experience of Russian and Chinese schools of engineering and to train top class professionals, who are in great demand in the economies of both China and Russia," a senior engineering student surnamed Xu said, adding that he never imagined that Putin would visit his campus. 

According to Xu, both his roommates and friends, who began studying Russian four years ago, were excited about Putin's visit. 

"We love Russian literature, architecture, food and music," Xu said, noting that in his hometown back in Suifenhe, enterprises expect experts with knowledge of foreign languages, especially Russian. 

With deeper exchanges and interactions, there is no doubt that more Chinese and Russian people will actively engage in cultural, educational and scientific exchanges, and bilateral exchanges will definitely make tangible contributions to the advancement of friendly and neighborly relations between China and Russia.

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. [email protected]