The 7th Russian-Chinese Youth Forum "Volga-Yangtze" is being held at Penza State University on November 10-11. The event in connection was organized in the format of a teleconference due to the restrictions associated with the spread of coronavirus infection.

The forum is attended by students of higher educational institutions located on the territory of the Volga Federal District and the provinces of the Upper and Middle reaches of the Yangtze River: Anhui, Sichuan, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan and the city of central subordination Chongqing. The event is part of the programme of the Year of Russian-Chinese Scientific, Engineering and Innovative Cooperation.

The event was opened by Igor Komarov, Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for the Volga Federal District.

“Friendship and mutual respect of young people is a guarantee of strong relations between our countries. That is why, within the framework of the Volga-Yangtze interregional cooperation format, we organize joint Youth Forums, the first of which took place in 2014. Since that time, a good tradition has emerged to hold annual meetings of student youth alternately on the territory of Russia and China to exchange ideas and youth initiatives, get acquainted with the cultural traditions, history and modern achievements of our countries", said Igor Komarov, Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for the Volga Federal district.

The VII Russian-Chinese Youth Forum is held in four areas: science and innovation; education; youth entrepreneurship; tourism, culture and art.

As Olga Meshcheryakova, Head of the International Relations Office, the Institute of International Cooperation, PSU, said, thematic sessions will be held within the framework of the Forum, since the implementation of joint educational projects and student exchanges is an important component of Russian-Chinese humanitarian cooperation. Also, during the event, entrepreneurs from the two countries will be able to exchange experience and discuss promising areas with the possibility of implementing joint business projects.
The forum will end with a concert where student groups from Russia and China will participate.

For reference:
The Volga-Yangtze format of Russian-Chinese cooperation is implemented within the framework of the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation to further strengthen and diversify ties at the interregional level between Russia and China.
On June 16, 2017, in Hefei (People's Republic of China), at  the meeting of the Council for Interregional Cooperation in the Volga-Yangtze format, a ceremony of signing an agreement on the establishment of the Association of Higher Education Institutions of the Volga Federal District and the provinces of the Upper and Middle reaches of the Yangtze River of the PRC took place. At present, the Volga-Yangtze Association of Universities includes about 80 Russian and Chinese higher educational institutions.