BEIJING, September 23. /ITAR-TASS/. An opening ceremony for the launch of a large-scale project - a race by Russian and Chinese journalists under the motto “Russian-Chinese border - border of peace and cooperation”- was held at Beijing’s House of People’s Assemblies on Tiananmen Square on Tuesday.

The motor race was organized by the Russian state news agency ITAR-TASS and China’s People's Daily. The event was attended by the leading representatives of the Chinese and Russian mass media.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko said “the all-encompassing partnership and strategic cooperation between China and Russia is every day being filled with new content and is expanding its boundaries.”

“Today we attend a ceremony for the launch of a remarkable project of the Chinese-Russian media tour on the border cities of China and Russia that has been organized by the two significant media structures of Russia and China,” Matvienko said.

ITAR-TASS General Director Sergei Mikhailov and People’s Daily Director General Yang Zhenwu participated in the opening ceremony.

“The goal of this motor rally, or more specifically, a voyage, is to familiarize Russian mass media with the economic, social, public and cultural life and contribute to the strengthening cooperation both between Russian and Chinese media, and our peoples,” Mikhailov said.

The participants of the event are journalists from Russia and China, whose professional duties are to openly and unbiasedly tell the readers and the audience about the life of the neighbor-country, he said.

“This motor rally is the result of a joint activity of one of the most respected newspapers, People's Daily, and the state agency ITAR-TASS. I suggest that we wish the participants success and a happy journey!” Mikhailov said.

People’s Daily Director General Yang Zhenwu said the event offers a good chance for exchanging information.

“This year, Russia and China mark 65 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations. I am sure that the cooperation between the People’s Daily newspaper and the ITAR-TASS news agency will encourage social development of the bilateral relations,” Zhenwu stressed.

During the 10-day event, journalists from Russia and China will travel by planes, trains and buses. A group of 30 journalists is to visit five cities in the Chinese province of Heilongjiang bordering Russia, including Heihe, Harbin, Suifenhe, Dongying and Mudanjiang.