Russian Journalist with Crazy Mandarin Fluency Wows Social Media
By Reuters | 11 May, 2025

The attention Russian Journalist Alina Salionova receives from Chinese media for her exceptional Mandarin fluency shows one aspect of growing cultural ties between Russia and China.

As Russian economic reliance on China deepens in the face of international isolation for the Ukraine war, cultural ties have also warmed markedly.  China's official media and social media lavish coverage on Russians with fluent Mandarin skills and Chinese with Russian skills. 

Russian media have also increased coverage of growing cultural, economic and personal exchanges.  Even Vladimir Putin himself has recently touted the fact that several members of his own family speak fluent Mandarin.