Bilingual news app a highlight of cooperation

China-Russia Headlines, a bilingual mobile news app produced by China Radio International and Russian news agency Rossiya Segodnya, has started to provide news and information about the two nations' ties.

The two companies provide news in written, audio and video formats, said Wang Gengnian, director-general of China Radio International. It was launched in Moscow on Monday.

"Besides news headlines, China-Russia Headlines also provides other services, such as bilingual radio, online translation, cross-border internet trading, tourism information and live broadcasting," Wang said.

The new media project helps students learning Chinese and many others who are interested in China to better know the country, said Christina Borovikova, a junior at Moscow Normal University who is studying Chinese. She said there is still only a limited amount of information about China on Russian websites.

"Thanks to the new app, we are able to learn more about China andChinese culture, and I hope there will be more such media projects from China and Russia," Borovikova said.

The two companies signed an agreement to build the app in 2016 in the presence of President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.

It's available for Android and iOS. Chinese speakers can search for the app's name, zhongetoutiao.

New media is a new highlight of Sino-Russian media exchanges, said Huang Kunming, executive vice-minister of the CPC Central Committee's Publicity Department. China-Russia Headlines, produced with high-quality resources from the mainstream media of both nations, is a good example.

"I believe there will be more such high-quality projects that will help boost mutual trust and build a friendship bridge between China and Russia," Huang said.

Dmitry Kiselyov, director-general of the Rossiya Segodnya news agency, hailed the launch and the rapid development of China's mobile application technology.

He said the cooperation with Chinese media meets the needs of the new media era and of further development of Sino-Russian media cooperation.

Boris Titov, Russian chairman of the China-Russia Friendship Committee for Peace and Development, said both countries' media play an important role in developing the China-Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Coordination.

Other media and promotional activities began in Moscow on Monday as well.

Several Chinese provincial governments launched promotional activities as China and Russia vowed to enhance regional cooperation.

The opening ceremony of the 2017 Experience China - Guangdong Cultural Tour to Europe was held.

Guo Weimin, vice-minister of China's State Council Information Office, said China and Russia are good neighbors, good partners and good friends, and such regional cooperation projects will draw them closer.

"The project will bring Chinese books and Chinese traditional paintings to Russia, as well as some innovative products from Guangdong companies," Guo said.

Moscow is the first stop for the cultural tour, which not only helps Russians learn about Guangdong, but also boosts financial cooperation and cultural exchanges between the province and Russian regions, said Shen Haixiong, head of the Guangdong Provincial Publicity Department.

Guangdong products on display included drones for photographers, smart household appliances, traditional paintings, iced tea and some intangible cultural heritage items.

The 2017 Heilongjiang Television Week in Russia also was launched. Some Russian channels, including Russian Educational TV and BRICS TV, will broadcast a daily program made by Heilongjiang TV showing the cooperation between Heilongjiang province and Russia in internet commerce, culture and tourism.

Heilongjiang TV also plans to shoot a documentary with Russian stations, and they will discuss other ways to cooperate.

renqi@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 07/05/2017 page3)