Actors perform Korean folk dance at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday, August 22. It is part of the opening ceremony for a grand cultural showcase of 2007, Year of Sino-Korean Exchange, which features "Dynamic Korea", Chinese President Hu Jintao and South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun sent congratulatory messages to the ceremony, expressing their support to the activity.

Representatives from major media organizations in China and the Republic of Korea (ROK) gathered here on Thursday to discuss promoting peace and prosperity in northeast Asia and media cooperation between Beijing and Seoul.

Qian Xiaoqian, China's Deputy director of the Information Office of the State Council, said the expansion of exchanges between news agencies and media of China and the ROK had promoted information exchanges and economic and trade growth as well as deepened mutual trust and friendship.

The China-ROK media forum would expand consensus between Chinese and ROK media circles, push forward communication and collaboration, and help promote the China-ROK partnership, and peace and stability in Asia, Qian said.

Kim Chang-ho, ROK Minister of the Government Information Agency, said the media of the two countries should strengthen exchanges and communication to jointly build a peaceful, stable and prosperous Asia.

More than 90 journalists, media managers and government officials participated in the one-day forum at Grand Hall of the People in Beijing and discussed the media's role in promoting peace and prosperity in northeast Asia, cooperation in covering the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing as well as new media and the media industry's future.

As 2007 is "China-ROK exchange year," the forum is part of a three-day cultural exchange between China and the ROK called "Dynamic Korea" from August 22 to 24 in Beijing.

(Xinhua News Agency August 23, 2007)