The Peoples Republic of
China said on Wednesday in Abuja said that it would strengthen its bilateral relationship with Nigeria in the media industry.
Ms LI Qiufang, the Vice Minister of State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of China, said this when she led a Chineses delegation on a courtesy visit to the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Information.
Qiufang said that Nigeria and China had a long history of cultural relationship which must be sustained for the benefit of the two countries.
“China is exploring the existing bilateral relations with Nigeria in order to strengthen its cultural ties, especially in the field of media.
“China is the second largest economy in the world just like Nigeria is first in the African continent and a force to reckon with in the world.
She expressed delight over the mutual relationship that had existed between the two countries and promised that her country would do everything possible to sustain it.
Qiufang said that with the bilateral exchange and cooperation in the trade and economic fields, both countries, could lay a very good foundation for cultural exchange and cooperation.
She recalled that in 2012, some directors of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) participated in the China-Africa Media Cooperation Forum, organised by her ministry in Beijing.
This, she said, benefited the participants tremendously, especially in area of news reporting and broadcasting.
She also said that the CCTV and China Radio International had set up correspondents bureau in Nigeria to boost the media coverage of the country.
“The CCTV-Plus has signed an agreement with NTA to expand its reach in the broadcast of African News.
“With this effort alone, we believe that it will go a long way in broadening the scope of broadcast and mak it more attractive.’’
Qiufang commended the efforts of the Federal Government in developing the media in the country.
She said the delegation was in Nigeria to study the new regulatory framework in the country.
In her remarks, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, the Permanent Secretary, advocated for the broadcast of Nigerian programmes in the Chinese electronic media, to further strengthen the ties between the two countries.
She noted that unlike in Nigeria where Chinese programmes were being broadcast, none of Nigerian programmes was on air in China.
“The exchange of programmes has been one-sided; I don’t think there is any Nigerian programme on Chinese television.”
Yemi-Esan however, expressed optimism that the meeting with the Chinese delegation would reverse the one-sided trend in the broadcast of programmes.
She also commended the robust bilateral relations between Nigeria and China, which she said, had provided the ministry and its agencies the opportunity for staff training and technological exchange.
She noted that the staff training had been slowed down but expressed the hope that it would be reinvigorated as Nigeria had a lot to learn from the Chinese media industry.