BEIJING — China and the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Jan 18 signed a memorandum on translation and publication of classics, initiating a new step in people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries.

China and the ROK have agreed to translate and publish 50 classic works from the two countries in the next five years in a bid to provide more outstanding cultural and intellectual resources for the two peoples, according to the memorandum.

The memorandum aims to implement China's initiative to translate Asian classics both from and into Chinese, which was put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations in 2019.

It will further deepen people's understanding and appreciation of each other's fine cultures and script a new chapter in promoting people-to-people ties and mutual learning between civilizations.