BUENOS AIRES, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Latin American journalists hailed the China-Latin America and the Caribbean Media Forum held Monday in Argentina's capital Buenos Aires.

Regional media representatives welcomed the forum as an effective way to boost mutual knowledge and joint cooperation for the benefit of both sides.

Organized by China's Xinhua News Agency and Argentina's Federal System of Media and Public Content, the event drew representatives from 13 Chinese media outlets and over a hundred news agencies from more than 20 Latin American and Caribbean nations.

"This forum is indispensable ... we need such forums to get to know each other better," said Fernando Pedrosa, national director of Argentina's Public Media Planning Department.

"We need forums like this not just to get to know each other better, but also to have reporters and media that can help to make the encounter between China and Latin America productive," he added.

Alejandro Ramos Esquivel, general director of Mexico's state news agency Notimex, highlighted Xinhua's technological progress and what it has brought to the region.

"China, through Xinhua News Agency, has developed enormous technological capacity. It has ventured in a pioneering way into artificial intelligence ... allowing us to get a glimpse of feasible business plans for Latin American media," said Ramos.

The media forum serves to bridge the gap in information between the two regions, he said.

Under the theme "Deepening media cooperation to help forge a community of shared future for China and Latin America," the forum helped to highlight common ground despite geographical differences, said Susana Barrera, editor of Argentina's official press agency Telam.

"It's very interesting to participate in these types of gatherings which promote the exchanges of experiences among journalists," said Barrera, adding that the forum helps to strengthen communication ties.

"In this way, we often confirm that we are only separated by distance," she added.

Hernan Mundo, a reporter for Argentina's national radio station, told Xinhua that the forum presented a rare opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences.

"It's always good to find out more about work experiences, from a professional and technological perspective," said Mundo. "There is a lot to learn, and there aren't many opportunities to be face to face, which ends up being more productive than doing things from a distance."

"The forum let us exchange information and knowledge, especially about China," Mundo added. "We got to learn more about how they address agendas in a world with different beliefs."