MOSCOW, August 17 (RIA Novosti) - Russia and China have agreed to create a system of information on forest fires, a Natural Resources Ministry statement said Wednesday.

An agreement on the issue was signed during a Russian-Chinese meeting on bilateral cooperation in the forestry industry.

"Forest fires often cross the border between Russia and China and demand the joint efforts of Russian and Chinese firefighters. Therefore, the delegations reached a preliminary agreement on creating a system of the constant and operative exchange of information on forest fires and relevant communication channels between Russia and China," the document said.

Aerial Forest Protection Service official Nikolai Kovalyov shared Russia's experience in extinguishing forest fires with Chinese officials.

The statement said China approached Russian Federal Forestry Service officials with a proposal to train Chinese forest firefighters.

China also expressed willingness to trade advanced forest firefighting equipment.