On the afternoon of September 2nd, the Chinese Vice Premier and the Russian Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs jointly launched the RUC-Saint Petersburg State University Research Center in Renmin’s Guoxue Guan Building. The ceremony was held in the spirit of furthering Sino-Russian relations and strengthening the academic collaboration between the two universities. The goal of the newly established institute is to promote academic excellence, advance original scientific research, and cultivate young talent in the area of culture and the arts. China’s Vice Premier, LIU Yandong, and the Russian Deputy Prime Minister, Olga Golodec, each gave an address. Among the nearly 200 guests in attendance were the President of Saint Petersburg State University, along with several other dignitaries, noted international scholars and RUC alumni, journalists, and student representatives. RUC’s President CHEN Yulu presided over the launch. Representing the People’s Republic of China, LIU Yandong expressed her enthusiastic appreciation for the establishment of the center and her anticipation that it might serve as a valuable platform for exchanging ideas, sharing cultural heritage, and promoting collaboration between Russian and Chinese scholars. The Russian Deputy Prime Minister is hopeful that the research center will provide Chinese people with new perspectives on Russia and attract leading scholars in the field of Sino-Russian relations. In her words, the establishment of this center is yet another indication of the “strong ties” binding the two countries together. Both Saint Petersburg State and Renmin University are, as was also noted, highly reputable institutions, Renmin University being the first of its kind established in New China and known both for its top ranking position in the social sciences as well as leading the way in Sino-Russian academic collaboration. As a link between the two schools and the countries they represent, the new research center promises to strengthen the friendship between China and Russia through its joint contributions to higher education, research, and cultural exchange. Pledging his institution’s full support, Saint Petersburg State University’s President commended the launch of the center as an important think tank and hub for bilateral research on politics, economics, and culture. RUC’S President Chen Yulu in his address noted that the new research center had already published its first translated work, a book on Russia’s foreign investment law. He also drew attention to a recent evolume on Vladimir Putin’s political economy by Russian studies expert Prof. Guan Xueling of RUC’s School of Economics and Zhang Meng of Harbin Institute of Technology.