BEIJING, May 19. /TASS/. Chinese engineer Peng Pai, whose childhood photo with Russian President Vladimir Putin once captured widespread media attention, has expressed a heartfelt desire to serve as a bridge of friendship between Beijing and Moscow. Anticipated to meet with the Russian leader in Beijing tomorrow, Peng conveyed his aspirations very clearly in these words: "In my profession, I build roads, bridges, and tunnels. I would like to construct a friendship bridge between Russia and China," he told Russian journalists.
Peng also revealed that it was a memorable encounter with Putin years ago that inspired him to pursue higher education in Russia. From 2007 to 2013, he studied at the Moscow Automobile and Road Construction State Technical University (MADI). He fondly recalled his time there, expressing gratitude to his Russian professors whose rigorous yet welcoming approach helped shape his successful career. Mechanics was his favorite subject, and he reminisced about his student days in Moscow - enjoying ice cream at GUM department store near Red Square and savoring shawarma for its quick preparation and affordability. During his second year at MADI, Peng even sent a letter to President Putin, though he did not receive a reply.
