SHANGHAI, November 4. /TASS/. Russia plans to present a draft digital cooperation program to the Chinese side in the spring of 2019, Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media Alexei Volin said at a Russian-Chinese media forum in Shanghai on Sunday.

"The Russian side will start working at the digital cooperation program so that the draft will be submitted to the Chinese side in the spring, and that it could be signed at the next meeting of the humanitarian cooperation commission in the summer," he said.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Maxim Akimov unveiled plans to develop a Russian-Chinese media cooperation program in the digital field at the plenary session of the forum earlier on Sunday. He explained that the program initially planned for two years should be aimed at the formation of a common digital environment favorable for the development of the two countries’ media outlets, implementation of joint projects, and strengthening of joint positions on global markets.

Volin also suggested that China should receive a Russian delegation in the spring of 2019 for discussing the issues of cooperation in the film industry. The Russian side is interested in expanding cooperation in this field, he said, adding that it particularly plans to present new film projects implemented in the Russian Federation to China.

Volin also said that Moscow is keen to hold the third Russian-Chinese forum of new media that is traditionally organized together with China Daily, in 2019.

New media cooperation program

Russia and China are ready to develop a new program of digital cooperation in the media space in 20 areas by the summer of 2019, Alexei Volin said.

"Today the initiative to develop a Russian-Chinese program of digital cooperation in the media space was unveiled," he said, adding that the program is expected to contain up to 20 cooperation areas, and the sides "hope to develop it by the summer of 2019."

According to preliminary estimates, the initiative will include "over 100 joint activities," he said. "We believe the program may become not a bit smaller driver than the previous years of the Russian-Chinese media," deputy minister emphasized.

He mentioned "joint forums, meetings of representatives of online platforms, consultations and presentations of developed content to each other for distributing in the digital area, media literacy, production of technological equipment and software for online services, consultations and cooperation between TV, radio channels and other traditional media, dealing with young people, as well as issues related to education and training of media experts" as the main areas of the future Russian-Chinese program of media cooperation.