Reaching out to China: Russia strengthens its presence in the Chinese media market
The prospects of cooperation between the world's leading powers — Russia and China — are currently being discussed in Beijing. The VI Media Forum started there, which brought together several dozen leaders of the media industry of the two countries. The program includes the exchange of experience and discussion of strategic plans. Among them is the continuation of the joint project "Red Silk", which was successful in both Russian and Chinese film distribution. About what fruits of cooperation and co—creation the industry and the audience can expect - in the material "Izvestia" from China.
Space for dialogue
With only a few minutes left before the start of the plenary session of the VI Russian-Chinese Media Forum, the golden hall of the International Conference Center in the heart of Beijing is ready to receive distinguished guests from the media industry of the two countries. The organization is at the highest level and down to the smallest details: lace is spread out on the chairs, elegant local girls with impressively honed synchronicity fill cups with tea. The host party demonstrates that this event has a special meaning for everyone. The leadership of the Communist Party is even present at the event.
"We need to meet more often and discuss the issues that concern us, we have common views on challenges in the information sphere," said Yu Junsheng, deputy head of the CPC Committee in Beijing, director of the Beijing Broadcasting Station.
The Media Forum has been held since 2015. The last time the participants met was back in 2019. Obviously, there are a lot of issues that now require attention and a bilateral dialogue. That is why the heads of the leading Chinese media and the leaders of the Russian industry are here today.
"Today we live in a world of fakes, in a world of unreliable information, and the distortion of history, and it is very important that two such great powers, with such powerful and effective mass media, cooperate as much as possible to convey an objective and real picture of history and peace to all modern humanity," she stressed. In an interview with Izvestia, Svetlana Balanova, General Director of the National Media Group.
The steps in this direction are broad — Russian media are already working in China. In particular, the National Media Group cooperates with several local giants at once. In May 2025, in the presence of the leaders of the two countries, an agreement was signed between NMG and the Media Corporation of China. In addition, Izvestia News Center, part of the holding company, now interacts with the Xinhua News Agency and exchanges information, photos and videos.
What is the Russian-Chinese film industry preparing?
Another pride of NMG is joint filmmaking. The Russian-Chinese film "Red Silk" starring Milos Bikovich, Gleb Kalyuzhny and debutante Zheng Hanyi in 2025 was successfully released first in Russia and then in China. This ensured his continuation, which was also discussed on the sidelines of the media forum in Beijing. The action sequel "Black Silk" is already in the works and promises even more scenes shot in China and even more star names in the cast. It is already known that Maxim Matveev, Anastasia Krasovskaya and Alexander Radojicic have joined the cast. NMG Kinoprokat plans to release the film in 2027.
A shot from the movie "Red Silk"
Russian animation also easily crosses borders, which becomes a continuation of cultural dialogue. The cartoon "Three Cats" has become a hit with young viewers in both Russia and China. It's called the Mihao Family, and the characters speak different dialects, but the simple human values that the authors lay down don't need to be translated. The popularity of the project far beyond the borders of the homeland is therefore understandable.
— Of course, it is impossible not to mention the success of our animation projects, because the favorite cartoon of Russian children "Three Cats" is very popular in China. It is available on almost all major Internet platforms. The series has received more than 5.5 billion views in China. Of course, we couldn't help but come to a logical decision: today we are announcing that we will produce a special Chinese series," Svetlana Balanova told about the plans.
A frame from the cartoon "Three cats"
CTC Animation, part of NMG Holding, is preparing a 20-minute special in partnership with a Chinese distributor, and local consultants will be involved in developing the script.
All this — dialogue, albeit in different languages, as well as the exchange of experience and joint strategic plans — is now becoming a "soft bridge" through which Russia and China are moving not only towards each other, but also into the future. The VI Media Forum, which brought together several dozen representatives of the press of the two countries on one site, allowed us to look into it: new projects have already been launched, and partnerships are becoming stronger.
— Cooperation has been strengthened, first of all, cooperation between the media. This cooperation covers not only traditional media, but also new media, and not only the production of content, but also its distribution — we can say that there has been an increase in all areas. In addition, cooperation has gone beyond the central government level, beyond the central and national media, and has been expanded to regional (local) media," Mo Gaoyi, deputy head of the propaganda department of the CPC Central Committee and head of the press Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, summed up in a conversation with Izvestia.
The forum was successful both in terms of exchange and cooperation, he concluded.
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