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causing a distortion in the coverage of affairs in developing countries.
The director of the International Office of the Information State Council Information Office of China, Mr Jiang Wei Quing, said after extensive research and analysis it was realised that the Western media was distorting issues about Africa. He cited countries like Zimbabwe which the West did not enjoy good diplomatic relations.
“Such monopoly has severed direct understanding and interaction between developing countries and must be countered.
“We must change that. The Chinese media has been paying a lot of attention to reporting from Zimbabwe.
“Most of us have been watching news from Zimbabwe’s television and print media since we were children,” he said.
China, he said, was grateful when Zimbabwe achieved her independence and on that same day China and Zimbabwe established diplomatic ties.
“Our main duty is to tell the world the story of China. Our main mandate is to hold press conferences so that we tell the true story of Chinese policies and we also publish white papers that elaborate on China’s diplomatic relations with other countries,” he added.
China has just released a white paper on its policy towards climate change and is compiling and publishing magazines, books and newspapers for use by its foreign missions. The Chinese Government has gone a step further to consolidate its relationship with developing countries.
This includes exchanges between government-led institutions and media houses and nurturing bilateral and multi-lateral exchanges.
“For African countries we rely on the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation. We also have media exchanges between governments including Zimbabwe. We are working on the media professional front.
“This includes direct contact between media organisations. We have been encouraging Chinese media organisations to carry out media contacts especially with developing countries,” he said.
Speaking on the same occasion, director of Training Centre of the State Council Information Office Mr Hu Wei Ping said China’s increasing increasing exchanges with Zimbabwe have enhanced their political understanding of each other.
“This has added more momentum to our bilateral relationship. Our trade volume reached US$560m in 2010 with China’s investments in Zimbabwe covering agriculture, tourism and mining mostly.
“By the end of 2010 the contractual value of our products reached US$2 billion. Right now nearly 1000 engineers and technicians are working with Zimbabweans in these areas,” he said.
Mr Wei Ping said Zimbabwe’s market had huge potential and as Zimbabwe’s third largest trading partner, relations between the two countries had become even closer. Since the launch of the Africa-China forum, China had made active explorations into the African economies and worked closely with them, which saw its economy going through a leap-frog development.
An official with the Ministry of Media, Information and Publicity Mr Herbert Marufu said: “We are very grateful for China’s involvement with our media. It will go a long way in shaping theZimbabwean media. We want to assure you that the knowledge we shall acquire from this seminar will be put to good use back home,” he said.
“The seminar will provide us with a window to the social, economic and political changes in China. We will return home having appreciated the bond that exists between our two countries.
“We hope that the media personnel here will help the world to understand the policies and way of life of China and will tell the true story of China. Our relations date back to the days of our liberation struggle and are strengthened by such events as the one we are gathered here for today,” said Mr Marufu.
Online Reporter