INFORMATION and Broadcasting Services Minister Joseph Katema has called for increased interaction between African and Chinese media to strengthen cooperation and exchange of development ideas.
Regular interaction, the minister said, provides an opportunity to enhance cooperation between the African and Chinese media.
Dr Katema said this during the deliberations of the second Forum on China-Africa Media Cooperation held at the Beijing Hotel International Convention Centre in Beijing on Monday.
He said the meeting of media experts was a good platform for interaction among various media personalities as it provided an opportunity to share experiences in the course of providing quality news services.
“The forum has brought together high profile African and Chinese government officials, captains of the media industry and other stakeholders. This is commendable as it provides the fertile opportunity to deepen cooperation between China and Africa in our collective desire and determination to creating an informed and knowledge based society,” Dr Katema said.
He noted that the meeting by various media heads and other stakeholders also provides Zambia an opportunity to build its relations with the Chinese media as is the case with other African countries.
“Zambia also sees the role of China Africa media cooperation as crucially important in bridging technology transfers from China to Africa. This has become even more urgent with the arrival of the
information communication technologies such as the cell phone, internet and digital television broadcasting in which China is way ahead,” he said.
Dr Katema said China’s emphasis on cooperation rather than cohesion had generated favourable conditions in its relations with many African countries.
Dr Katema said in the media and communication sector, Zambia like other African countries had embarked on the process of migrating from analogue to digital television broadcasting by June 17 2015.
Earlier, Minister of the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT), Cai Fuchao told the meeting that China and Africa had entered a new stage of development
with new opportunities and new strategies for the development of China-Africa media cooperation.
Mr Cai said the joint efforts of all participants on the solid foundation of China-Africa exchanges and cooperation in all forms of electronic media would make the second forum even better after the
first successful one held two years ago.
The international media gathering was held under the theme “Exchange, Cooperation and Development.” -ZANIS