MOSCOW, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- A photo exhibition to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) as well as the friendship between Russia and China in the past seven decades kicked off Tuesday in Moscow.

The exhibition, jointly presented by an image company of China's Xinhua News Agency, the Russian Union of Journalists, the Central House of Journalists and Russia's PhotoPro Company, is being held at the premises of the Central House of Journalists in Moscow.

Dubbed "Pursuit of A Better Life -- in Honor of the Founding of New China", the exhibition displays photographs that recorded the moments in the key stages of the PRC's development, pictures that showed Chinese people's life and elements of Chinese culture, and those that depicted China's friendly interactions with Russia.

"This rare exhibition witnesses the historical changes in China over the past 70 years, reflects changes in the life of the Chinese people and demonstrates the profound friendship between China and Russia as well as the peoples of the two countries," Chinese ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui said at the opening ceremony.

Standing at a new historical starting point, China and Russia will continue to join hands on promoting pragmatic cooperation in all areas so as to better facilitate the development of the two countries, he added.

"The state of relations between our countries is now at one of the highest points in history," chairman of the Russian Union of Journalists Vladimir Soloviev said, echoing Zhang's remarks.

"It's far enough to fly to China from Moscow, and not everyone has an opportunity to take a look at how China is transforming now... I am very glad that such an exhibition is opening in Moscow," he said.

Galina Kulikova, first deputy chairperson of the Russia-China Friendship Association, who received the Friendship Medal, China's highest state honor, in Beijing earlier this month, also hailed the exhibition.

"My whole life is connected with China and our bilateral relations. I was there on the 40th anniversary of the PRC, the 50th anniversary, the 60th anniversary and, finally, the 70th anniversary. What I saw now in China made an indelible impression on me. Great country, great people," she said.