Political and business leaders aside, another group of people have travelled to Vladivostok. They are youths who were victims of the 2008 destructive earthquake in southwest China's Sichuan province. Shortly after the disaster, about 1,500 children from the hardest-hit areas were invited to Russia for rehabilitation. Now, a decade later, scores of them revisited one of the places they stayed – the Ocean All-Russian Children's Center. Our reporter Yang Jinghao talked to some of them ahead of their visit.  

Singing, dancing, and learning Russian. These young people are preparing for a reunion with their Russian friends from a children's center. A decade ago, they were greeted with hospitality here after their homes were destroyed by a devastating earthquake.

SHI YUBING TEACHER "They're practicing some songs they sang with their Russian teachers 10 years ago. One of them is a Chinese song, and they will invite the teachers to perform it together again this time."

In 2008 and 2009, then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev invited some 1,500 children from quake-hit areas to recuperate in Russia. About 900 of them lived in the "Ocean" All-Russian Children's Center located in Vladivostok. The three-week stay left the children with many beautiful memories.

YU GUO QUAKE SURVIVOR "I'm really excited. I never expected to get such an opportunity to go back after all these years."

ZE MEIFANG QUAKE SURVIVOR "I'm so eager to see the instructors and interpreters who took care of us back then, and share with them the changes my hometown gone through over these years."

YANG JINGHAO CHENGDU "A typical example of people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, this program not only helped traumatized children recuperate from the shadow of the catastrophe, it also exerted a far-reaching influence on them from various aspects."

Dong Lu was 14 when she visited the center. Years later, she graduated from a foreign language college, and now works as an elementary school teacher. She said the exotic culture and friendliness she felt in Russia had a great impact on her choice of education and career.

DONG LU QUAKE WITNESS "The Russian friends planted a seed of love in my heart. Now I want to pass down the spirit of peace and friendliness to my students."

Just like Dong Lu, most of the youngsters prepared special gifts for this special occasion. They say friendship of this kind between the two peoples will bring the two neighbors closer. Yang Jinghao, CGTN, Chengdu, Sichuan Province.