SHANGHAI, November 4. /TASS/. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Maxim Akimov considers it necessary to develop a Russian-Chinese media cooperation program in the digital field.
"One of the tasks of the forum is to fortify our positions in the global information competition. Discussing those issues during open dialogues and contacts, we realize that it is much easier and more efficient to meet those challenges together," he said at the plenary session of a Russian-Chinese media forum in Shanghai on Sunday.
According to Akimov, China and Russia are different countries that use different approaches to many problems and solution of many tasks. However, he believes that it makes the two countries even stronger as they have different experience. "If we discuss the existing problems and various approaches in a fair, friendly atmosphere, we will only enhance and complement each other," Deputy PM explained.
"In this respect, it seems that a special program of the Russian-Chinese media cooperation in the digital field could be drafted, probably for a two-year period - for 2019-2020 for a start," he said. "The program should be aimed at forming a common digital environment, favorable for the development of media outlets of the two countries, creating joint projects, strengthening the common positions of global markets," Akimov said, adding that he considers it "an ambitious, but very relevant task, which (the two countries) are able to cope with."
After the plenary session of the forum, Russian Deputy PM told reporters that the program is aimed at a joint search of responses to the new media agenda that follows the technological breakthrough in the digital field. "Those are new ways of delivering the content, access (provided to) everyone to everything, global and mobile connectivity, those are interactive media, a constant dialogue with the consumer of the media content and, of course, the development of joint products, technological platforms, new ways of delivering the content," he explained.
Akimov said at the plenary session that the digital transformation of almost all spheres is indeed a vision of the future and sets the dynamics of the shift to that future. "Of course, digital technologies have created unprecedented opportunities for media, for the media space development, and have also created immense challenges and threats," he emphasized.