Terming 'very important and historic occasion' of organising China-Eurasia Expo and Media Forum in Urumqi, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said on Saturday that such initiatives would ensure opening of new corridors of communication and connectivity among the regional countries.
These initiatives, she told CCTV in an interview, would help promote bilateral trade, expos as well as exploring new investment avenues. She said the presence of President Asif Ali Zardari at the first ever China-Eurasia Forum clearly illustrated the importance Pakistan's leadership and government attached to exploring and opening new corridors of co-operation between the regional countries.
She added that revival of Silk Route was one of the prime agendas at the Forum. Xinjiang, the Information Minister said, would be the future hub of regional economic activities and Pakistan would be the closest partner. "So we want to strengthen our ties with Xinjiang," she added.
Dr Awan said the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and its Chinese counterpart signed an agreement in the presence of President Zardari in Urumqi, which was another step forward for co-operation in trade with China. Vice-Premier Lieutenant Keqiang, while addressing the forum in Urumqi on the opening day on Thursday, said the process of opening up inland regions to the world would be quickened and the remote autonomous region of Xinjiang would spearhead the drive.
Dr Awan said it was for the first time that the initiative was taken by the Chinese government to engage media for marketing. She appreciated her Chinese counterpart Wang Chen for inviting her to attend the Forum. She said that keeping in view the important and vibrant role of media in today's daily life, it was for the first time that a media forum was organised along with the trade expo.
She said that media was one of the best marketing tools and as information minister she was really impressed by the achievements and the philosophy behind holding of media forum. The media organisations in China and neighbouring countries need to give preference to the development of new media, which can help explore new ways for news and media exchanges and offer alternatives to Western media's dominance, Wang Chen, Chinese State Council and Minister for Information had said while addressing the Forum for Ministers of Information held in Urumqi on Thursday.
"The exchange and co-operation in the news and media field is the key promoter for friendly relationships between China and its neighbouring countries," Wang said. Dr Firdous Awan said that she was in consensus with Wang Chen for a uniform regional media policy through which new openings and better communication could be created and that the effective role of media should be recognised across the border.
Dr Awan said that she wanted to host on reciprocal basis the next forum meeting in Pakistan. Referring to the role of a vibrant media in Pakistan, the Information Minister said the government was neither interfering nor manoeuvring as well as not interested to impose its point of view on media. "This is for the first time that media is working in such an ideal and conducive environment that has been created for them by the government," she added.
She said the government was encouraging public-private partnership and private media outlets were thriving in the country. She said that in view of rapid development of media in Pakistan, it had been decided to formulate capacity building and orientation programmes for the media personnel for which Chinese support was needed.
The Information Minister said that media of both Pakistan and China was playing a pivotal role for strengthening socio-economic ties between the two countries. She pointed out that the Pakistani media always supported Pak-China friendship initiatives.
Frequent exchange of media delegations between the two countries, Dr Awan said, would help better understand each other's history, culture, defence and economic co-operation in various areas. The delegates from Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan besides host China attended the Media Forum and expressed their points of view for mutual co-operation.
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