BEIJING, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese students in Russia have a bright employment future as China-Russia relations expand, Chinese Education Minister Zhou Ji said here Tuesday.

Russian-speaking Chinese students had all found good jobs in recent years, whether they returned to China or stayed on in Russia after graduation, Zhou said when interviewed by the official website of "The Russian Year in China."

The expanding China-Russia strategic partnership had generated a welter of opportunities for professionals that speak and write Russian, Zhou said.

The 15,000 Chinese students in Russia are the largest student contingent in Russia from any Asian nation.

"We encourage more Chinese students to study in Russia and we intend to provide our students there with better services," the minister said.

Every year China and Russia hold higher education exhibitions in the two countries. "We hope the best Russian universities will all attend the exhibition to brief Chinese students on the educational situation in Russia," he said.

Zhou said it is important to establish links between key universities in the two countries so that bilateral education cooperation, including joint scientific research and the fostering of innovation, can flourish. Enditem