BEIJING, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Xinhua News Agency has launched a new version of its website, Xinhuanet, featuring more multimedia formats.

Xinhua President Cai Mingzhao said at a launch ceremony on Monday that the site was a crucial step in Xinhua promoting integration of traditional and new media. It should allow the agency to make the most of creative ways of news gathering, such as its use of drones in researching stories.

With photos, video and sound files, the new Xinhuanet's features include 3D content, infographics and interactive timelines.

"Based on Xinhua News Agency's worldwide news and information gathering network, Xinhuanet will continue to innovate in the concept, form and pattern of news transmission, striving to make Xinhuanet a world-class and internationally influential news website and building an online news agency that plays a dominant role in the sphere of new media," according to Cai.

He said Xinhuanet will consolidate its leading position in exclusively releasing major news, and that it is committed to providing users with the most authoritative and timely service.

Monday's ceremony also launched a new version of Xinhuanet for smartphones and other mobile devices, after last week saw the launch of a new version of the agency's Chinese news app.

Xinhuanet and the Xinhua news app are the "two wheels of Xinhua in advancing the integration between traditional and new media," Cai said. "The new versions of the two platforms represent a key step Xinhua has taken toward media integration."