Neighbors agree to preserve historical materials

Two major Chinese and Russian media outlets have agreed to promote comprehensive and multilevel cooperation in various fields, in line with the consensus reached by the leaders of China and Russia.

China Media Group, or CMG, signed a memorandum of understanding with the All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company on Tuesday in Moscow, where Chinese President Xi Jinping was having a state visit. The two outlets also agreed to jointly develop and make good use of historical audiovisual materials.

Shen Haixiong, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said President Xi has repeatedly emphasized that history is the best textbook, which can enlighten the future and guide people to the right path.

CMG has a wealth of historical materials, said Shen, who is also president and editor-in-chief of CMG. He called on the two companies to share and make good use of their resources, enhance mutual understanding and strengthen the friendship between the peoples of Russia and China.

Oleg Dobrodeev, head of the All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company, said his company would work together with CMG in research and development, restoration, preservation and digital technology application of historical documents to help people better understand the history and promote cultural exchanges.

At the signing ceremony, the All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company presented CMG with a collection of newly discovered valuable historical video footage captured by the Soviet Red Army in northeastern China from the Japanese Kwantung Army.

The footage, depicting the political and military situation in the region during the 1930s, captured the heinous crimes committed by the Japanese army and the Chinese people's arduous resistance to the invasion. It also included footage of historical events from the establishment of the puppet Manchukuo state in 1932 and the Lugou Bridge Incident in 1937.

According to the memorandum, the two outlets will establish a communications mechanism for timely information sharing on historical audiovisual materials, collaborate in restoring and preserving the materials, and advance digital restoration technology. They will also coproduce documentaries and special programs to be aired on the platforms of both sides.

In 2019, on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, CMG and the All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company jointly released a documentary, which showcased a large number of color images of the founding ceremony taken by former Soviet photographers.