On May 13, in recognition of President of the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) and artist Lin Mao's outstanding contributions to cultural and artistic exchanges between China and Russia over the years—as well as his tireless spirit of exploration, distinctive artistic style, and remarkable achievements in his personal artistic practice—the Russian Academy of Arts awarded him the title of Honorary Academician.

The conferral ceremony took place in the Oak Hall of the Russian Academy of Arts, the highest-level venue reserved for hosting national delegations and important international guests. During the ceremony, President Lin expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Russian Academy of Arts for conferring the honorary title. He emphasized that this title is not only a personal honor but also a symbol of the deep friendship between the government and people of Russia and those of China. The honor serves as both encouragement for his years of work in artistic creation and education, and as a testament to the enduring connection and longstanding ties between the art communities of China and Russia.

President Xi Jinping recently visited Russia, and under the strategic planning and guidance of the two heads of state, China-Russia relations are at their historical best. Bilateral cooperation continues to deepen, injecting new vitality into the lasting friendship and mutual understanding between the two peoples. CAFA places great importance on its longstanding friendship with the Russian cultural and artistic community and will continue to strengthen cooperation with the Russian Academy of Arts. This collaboration aims to further deepen and lead bilateral exchanges and cooperation in higher art education, contemporary art creation, high-level academic research, and exhibition planning. CAFA is committed to building comprehensive bridges and platforms for mutual exchange, fully supporting the advancement of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership in the new era. It will also work to provide richer and more diverse aesthetic education resources for the people of both countries, and present more high-quality, high-level, and profound cultural and artistic events—striving to write a new chapter in China-Russia cultural and artistic exchange in the new era.

Coinciding with the in-depth development of the "China-Russia Years of Culture" (2024–2025), CAFA and the Russian Academy of Arts officially signed a strategic cooperation agreement. This marks the first formal collaboration between CAFA and a national-level Russian art institution, and represents a substantive step forward in institutionalized cooperation in art education between the two countries.

The strategic partnership will fully implement the outcomes of the leaders' meetings and the consensus on cultural exchange. It will promote institutionalized cooperation in fine arts education, research, and exhibition exchange between China and Russia. The two sides will establish a more comprehensive, stable, and long-term cooperation mechanism across areas such as arts education, academic research, and exhibition planning. Specific areas of collaboration will include faculty and student exchanges, joint art creation, academic workshops, and curatorial exchanges. Key initiatives will focus on jointly building talent development systems and innovating artistic practice projects, thereby promoting the integration of artistic education philosophies and the complementarity of talent training models between the two countries.

The Russian Academy of Arts is the highest authority in Russia’s cultural and artistic fields. Its history dates back to the “Academy of Sciences and Arts” established by Peter the Great in 1724. Leading institutions such as the Repin Academy of Fine Arts and the Surikov Art Institute fall under its administration. The title of “Honorary Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts” is awarded to artists with outstanding achievements and exceptional contributions in the field of art, as well as individuals who have made significant contributions to the arts in other ways.