At the China-Russia Media Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia, on June 25, attendees touched on a variety of topics in their speeches, particularly enhancing cooperation between media organizations of the two countries and improving their abilities in international communication. Edited transcripts of selected speeches follow:

Liu Qibao, Minister of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee

The New Media Era has redefined the way of getting and spreading information, which has provided a rare opportunity and favorable conditions for developing countries and emerging markets to strengthen international communication, contribute their say to the global arena and catch up with their competitors.

As China-Russia relations have been making great strides, media setups on both sides should deepen exchanges and cooperation in the spirit of mutual trust. Media cooperation should center on the two countries' major strategic blueprints, initiatives and projects, so as to jointly boost the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination.

Chinese and Russian media organizations should also jointly facilitate the integration of China's Silk Road Economic Belt Initiative with the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union framework. They should work together to safeguard the outcomes of the victory of World War II and international justice and promote cultural exchanges and mutual learning, in order to make greater contributions toward consolidating the basis of the two countries' friendship, enhancing mutual strategic trust and upholding their development interests.

Alexey Volin, Deputy Minister of Telecom and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation

It's significant for Russian and Chinese media organizations to cooperate, which will promote the integration of China's Silk Road Economic Belt Initiative with the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union framework. We are closely focusing on that. In fact, media cooperation itself is a part of the integration of the two strategies.

We propose to introduce good Chinese movies, documentaries and TV series with high-quality translation for a Russian audience. We can help make those works more localized.

As for the new media section, we think it a must for Chinese and Russian media organizations to cooperate on mobile platforms. Russia is going to invite Chinese online writers to visit Russia, and we have prepared interesting schedules for them.

The cooperation mentioned above is absolutely promising. The two governments have created a favorable environment. Now, it's time for the market.

He Dongping, President and Editor in Chief of Beijing-based Guangming Daily

Chinese and Russian media organizations should undertake the important responsibilities of providing information, eliminating doubt and confusion and facilitating communication in the integration of China's Silk Road Economic Belt Initiative with the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union framework. They should help citizens in both countries understand the significance of the efforts to create new room for growth and boost regional economic integration.

Media organizations of both countries should include full coverage of the common ground and shared interests of China and Russia in the process, in order to enhance public support for bilateral cooperation and promote the building of a community of common destiny for China and Russia.

Pavel Negoitsa, President of Russian official newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta

Russia-China relations are at an all-time high currently; however, there is a long way to go in the cooperation between the media sectors. State leaders of the two countries have designated 2016-17 as the Year of Russia-China Media Communication, which is a testament to the importance of these efforts for a bilateral relationship between the two powers.

Media counterparts in Russia and China should strengthen cooperation, guide world opinions and gain more of their say globally. Western media presents only one perspective. As a response, Russian and Chinese media should enhance their capabilities in international communication to present the truth to the global community by means of all platforms including news agencies, TV, broadcasting, newspapers and new media.

Russia and China have been devoted to developing tourism, facilitating cooperation between their small and medium-sized enterprises and jointly building some large projects. Only by increased understanding of the two peoples can we promote bilateral exchanges and diversify areas of cooperation.

Peng Shujie, Deputy Editor in Chief of Xinhua News Agency

Currently, the news product has evolved from print to an inclusive media package including texts, pictures and TV episodes. Our readers have been used to getting news on their mobile devices anytime and anywhere rather than in a fixed place such as the office or home.

The most challenging thing for traditional media organizations is managing the contradiction between the trend of multimedia journalism and the current section-divided management.

How can we promote the media integration and enhance international communication? We should consider at least these four methods:

First, reforming the internal management process. Multimedia journalism requires reorganizing the current reporting and human resources. I think project management can help realize the reorganization of staff members from cross-departments, cross-areas and cross-media platforms.

Second, editing news materials for multiple platforms, by which the communication effects will gain enhancement. Traditional media organizations should therefore generate news products fit for multiple terminals and users in different areas.

Third, highlighting agenda-setting embedded with not only information but also opinions. Our readers are always bothered with too much information but less authoritative opinions. They may not know who they should listen to or believe, especially in international communication.

Fourth, integrating the strengths of both traditional and new media and having them develop and prosper together. Some may hold that the emergence of the new media will inevitably weaken traditional ones, even result in the latter's extinction. However, they can coexist and develop together if we can handle their relationship properly.

Sergey Mikhaylov, Director General of the Itar-Tass News Agency

Itar-Tass has reported on Asia-Pacific news for a long time and has kept in touch with our peers in the region. Our most important business is in China; therefore, we are committed to presenting China comprehensively and reporting what is happening in the country based on the information and resources we have. Tass hopes to become an information partner of Chinese media organizations and realize a cooperation-driven outcome not only in reporting tasks but also in new media exploitation under our cooperation.

Dmitry Kosyrev, political observer with RIA Novosti

Russian Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky recently answered the question of why we have culture in a published article. He cited a quote from Russian poet and playwright Alexander Sumarokov saying that the culture should nurture people's taste among them. The culture is not business but education, which means it's a method to nurture people's spirit.

What about newspapers? I once asked a lady with People's Daily when we toured Beijing years ago. She said that the newspaper is a necessity after a person's graduation. If not updating your knowledge of this world, your certificate of the graduation will lose its value day by day. At the same time, the graduates of middle schools and universities need different newspapers.

Correspondingly, news professionals are not sponges absorbing information with no meaning and publishing words without thought. They are teachers. They tell the news they get to people who don't know it. Therefore, journalism is a respectful profession and needed by society.

Copyedited by Kylee Mclntyre

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