Nikkei asia reported (January 4, 2020) that China's authoritative, official news agency Xinhua launched its Urdu service in Pakistan to promote cooperation with local media, ostensibly to counter criticism against the major projects under the BRI in the country, known as China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. A ceremony was held in Islamabad on December 26, where memorandums of understanding were signed between Xinhua and over a dozen local media houses. Under the agreement, Xinhua will provide news services to Pakistani news agencies in both English and Urdu. Xinhua already has an English and now it has launched the Urdu service to target the Urdu audience. People in Pakistan will see news content from Xinhua via local media. Addressing the Xinhua launch ceremony, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan said that media cooperation between Pakistani and Chinese media is necessary to counter negative propaganda against projects under CPEC. The launch of Xinhua's Urdu service follows the 5th China-Pakistan Media Forum, held in Islamabad in November. The forum comprises journalists from Pakistan and China and is organized by the Chinese embassy in Pakistan and the Pakistan-China Institute, a non-governmental think-tank. Participants of the meeting chose to use the platform to counter negative propaganda against the corridor, according to news reports published in several Pakistani newspapers citing China Economic Net.
|
