BUDAPEST, Oct. 10 -- Hungary and China held a media forum here on Friday, marking the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries with some 100 media representatives present.

Zhou Mingwei, president of the China International Publishing Group headed the Chinese delegation. Hungary was represented by Peter Hoppal, Hungarian State Secretary for Culture, and Monika Karas, President of the Hungarian National Media and Infocommunications Authority.

Hoppal welcomed participants, pointing out that the forum was an integral part of Hungary's policy of opening to the east. He also noted that Hungary had had to undergo economic changes similar to China's.

Karas called the meeting an opportunity for thinking media professionals to garner a more objective image of the way media services operated in the two countries.

Zhou noted that the forum was focused on Chinese-Hungarian cooperation, on working together to build the future, and on the future of the media.

The current delegation, he pointed out, includes the leaders of all of China's mainstream media. He called on all participants to demonstrate the positive, proactive, and open attitude needed to expand exchanges and broaden the channels of cooperation, which includes increased reporting on each other.

Xiao Qian, China's ambassador to Hungary said that relations between China and Hungary have entered the best period in history, and the media in both countries played a positive and constructive role as bridge.

The media forum provides an important new platform for media exchanges and cooperation between the two countries, he added.