With the 2019 Spring Festival around the corner, China Daily sat down with ambassadors and diplomats to talk about their understanding of Spring Festival, outlook on bilateral relations, and their New Year greetings to the Chinese people.

As a Sinologist, Russian Ambassador to China Andrei Denisov takes a special liking to Chinese traditional philosophy, history and theater. Not only has his interest in Peking Opera grown over the years, his love for Chinese cinema has also increased.

In terms of how Chinese culture is received in Russia, the ambassador emphasizes the popularity of Chinese action movies, cuisine and martial arts among Russian youngsters. "There are some world tournaments and competitions where Russian sportsmen take first prizes, even ahead of Chinese professionals," said the ambassador.

Producer: Han Lei

Production: Feng Minghui

Reporter: Hu Zhe

Camera: Yu Xiaou & Fu Rui

Lighting: Zhou Bing

Editing: Yu Xiaoou & Fu Rui

Coordinator: Hu Zhe & Zhang Xingjian

Subtitles: Hu Zhe & Liu Fang & Li Wenrui