On December 15, 2014 at a press conference on the results of the outgoing year, Metropolitan Ignaty of the Khabarovsk and Amur Diocese called attention to the inter-relationship of the Khabarovsk Diocese and China, and also shared projects implemented on the basis of the Khabarovsk Seminary.
Thus for the third year the Khabarovsk Seminary has a department devoted to the study of the cultures of Southeast Asia, and in this connection, a program that will teach students to understand and to feel the mentality of its southern neighbors. In addition, the focus of the seminary was the reason for the change of future priests' study of a foreign language.
"All seminarians on my initiative, this year, instead of English are studying Chinese" - said Bishop Ignaty, "This decision was the result of an experiment, which was successfully held in the diocese last year."
The Chinese Language Program in the 4th seminary courses will consist of 238 hours, i.e., 3-4 times higher than rates of other languages.
The inclusion of the rector of the Khabarovsk Seminary into the Rectors' Union in Siberia, the Far East and northern provinces of China, will further allow the organizing a student exchange with Chinese universities.