ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China have agreed to bolster media cooperation by launching joint broadcasting projects to effectively address the growing concerns of fake news and disinformation.
The agreement was made during a meeting between Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, and Cao Shumin, the Deputy Head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and Party Secretary of the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) of China.
According to a report by Radio Pakistan, the two sides expressed mutual interest in strengthening media, cultural, and people-to-people relations as a way of enhancing the long-standing friendship between the two nations.
Tarar and Cao discussed measures to improve technical training and foster institutional collaboration, with a special emphasis on developing a unified narrative to combat the spread of fake news. They also talked about the potential for an agreement between China Central Television (CCTV) and Pakistan Television (PTV) to facilitate the exchange of information and enhance cooperation between the two broadcasters.
Minister Tarar highlighted Pakistan’s commitment to translating this bilateral media cooperation into actionable steps. He emphasized the significant role of state-run media organizations like PTV, Radio Pakistan, and the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) in effectively communicating China’s development projects, such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), as well as fostering cultural ties between the people of both countries.
He also pointed out that PTV is contributing to strengthening cultural and intellectual ties by airing Chinese programs, documentaries, and news reports in Urdu. Additionally, APP’s China News Service has been instrumental in successfully conveying Pakistan’s narrative to Chinese audiences.
Both leaders acknowledged the crucial role of the media in bridging the gap between the people of the two nations, promoting mutual understanding, and fostering societal harmony. They also identified new opportunities for collaboration in media and cultural exchanges, which could be supported by institutional mechanisms.
The discussions further included plans for exchange visits for digital influencers from both countries. Minister Tarar noted that such initiatives could bring fresh energy to the bilateral relations, especially in the context of the digital age.
Cao Shumin reiterated China’s confidence in Pakistan as a reliable partner and emphasized that closer media ties would facilitate broader collaboration between the two countries. The two leaders agreed to develop a joint strategy to continue building on these efforts.
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