China and Russia have maintained close cooperation in mainstream media in the past year, a senior Chinese official said during the Third China-Russia Media Forum on July 4 in Moscow.

More than 120 representatives of 75 media agencies from China and Russia participated in the forum and discussed new trends of media development and future cooperation.

Huang Kunming, the executive vice-minister of the CPC Central Committee’s Publicity Department, said Chinese and Russian media have cooperated closely and documented Sino-Russian relations.

He said there have been changes in international relations in recent years, and there has been significant development of media technology.

“Media from both countries have the common task of dealing with the relationship between traditional and new media to increase innovation and enhance international communications,” Huang said.

He added that Sino-Russian relations are the strongest they have ever been, which provides a solid platform for cooperation.

Alexei Gromov, first deputy chief of staff of the Russian Presidential Executive Office, said the China-Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Coordination covers various fields of interaction, including deep media cooperation.

The two countries have established a deep mutual trust, allowing media exchanges to develop rapidly, Gromov said.

“The media forum is a perfect example of our fine relations,” he said.

Sun Shangwu, deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily, signed an agreement with Pavel Negoitsa, publisher of Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

The two newspapers will continue to work on the Russian edition of China Watch — a multilingual news product of China Daily — and cooperate in other areas.

Pavel Stepanov, general manager of Russian media company Partner Center, said the hosting of the media forum and other similar communications played an important role in boosting the mutual understanding of Chinese and Russian people.

Partner Center has cooperated with Chinese media for many years, and has made documentaries about China.

Stepanov said cooperation among media companies to broadcast positive stories about each other’s country will help to promote bilateral ties in other industries.

Evgeni Shubin, general manager of Russian Ostantino Television Center, praised the highly developed media technology in China. Shubin said Russian media desires to have more exchanges about television technology with Chinese media companies, and to make progress together.