China eyes closer ties with RP state television

Amid reassurances of continued close ties despite the Aug. 23 hostage tragedy, China and the Philippines are exploring a partnership between their state-run television networks. Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma said Saturday he and China State Council Information Office head Wang Chen are looking at expanded news-gathering by China Central Television (CCTV) and National Broadcasting Network (NBN-4). “Yung nakakalap na balita dito ng NBN, gusto nila mai-broadcast sa CCTV para maging mas malawak ang sharing of news coverage. Mataas ang interest nila sa kaganapan sa ating bansa," Coloma said on government-run dzRB radio. (They want to get the local news gathered by NBN for them to re-broadcast on CCTV so there is wider sharing of news coverage. They showed a high interest in current events in the Philippines.) He said the tie-up can include an exchange of programs and news-gathering operations. Coloma met with Wang in Beijing last Wednesday, at the sidelines of a meeting of information ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and China. During the meeting, he said Wang reassured the Philippines of continued close ties. “Ikinagalak ko, at inulat ko sa pangulo, sinabi niya ang nangyari ay isang trahedya. Pero pananaw nila, ito ay isolated incident at hindi ito magiging sanhi ng pagbawas ng magandang relasyon o paghina ng magandang relasyon at pagkakaibigan. Bagkus, pananaw nila, dapat higit palakasin ang pagkakaibigan at pagtulungan," Coloma said. (I was happy to hear, and I relayed this to the President, when he said that the incident was tragic but they view it as an isolated incident and will not cause cordial and friendly ties between the two countries to weaken. Instead, in their view, we should even strengthen our ties of friendship and mutual help.) Wang also noted that much of the negative publicity about the Aug. 23 incident came from Western media, Coloma added. Wang pointed out that of some 700 news items China has monitored so far about the Aug. 23 incident, more than 400 came from Western media, according to Coloma. “Ang conclusion na ginawa niya, tila nag-focus ang western media organizations, ang description niya, negative publicity against our country. Tema niya kasi, ang pag-point out na maaring sa kanilang observation may certain way of looking ang western media na hindi masyadong paborable sa developing countries," he said. (Wang concluded that Western media organizations apparently focused on negative publicity against our country. The theme he pointed out is that, in their observation, Western media has a certain way of looking that is not very favorable to developing countries.) He said he and Wang agreed to strengthen ties by having an annual exchange of media delegates, with each delegation having up to six members and staying up to seven days. This can include media representatives from print, radio, television and online outfits, he said.—JV, GMANews.TV