Another Confucius Institute was inaugurated Thursday at the Moscow State Linguistic University, bringing the total number of Confucius Institutes in Russia to 17.

Another Confucius Institute was inaugurated Thursday at the Moscow State Linguistic University, bringing the total number of Confucius Institutes in Russia to 17. Li Hui, (right) the Chinese ambassador to Russia, and Moscow State Linguistic University rector Irina Khaleeva, as well as high-ranking Russian officials and delegations from Russian and Chinese universities, attended the inaugural ceremony.

Li Hui, the Chinese ambassador to Russia, and Moscow State Linguistic University rector Irina Khaleeva, as well as high-ranking Russian officials and delegations from Russian and Chinese universities, attended the inaugural ceremony.

Li praised the establishment of the third Confucius Institute in Moscow, believing that it would help more Russianse understand the Chinese language and culture, promote culture exchanges and strengthen bilateral ties between Russia and China.

Khaleeva expressed hope that the institute will serve as a platform for the exchange and cooperation between the two countries' young people because the Chinese language is gradually becoming popular in Russia.

Russia and China held reciprocal language years in 2009 and 2010. So far, a total of 17 Confucius Institutes and four Confucius Classrooms are located across Russia, receiving more than 24,700 Russian students.

The other two Confucius Institutes in Moscow were established, respectively, in Moscow State University for Humanities and Moscow State University.