ISLAMABAD, Dec 27 (INP): Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing has said that the Pakistan media has played an important role in promoting Sino-Pak relations and China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Addressing a ceremony here last night, he said that mutual cooperation between Chinese and Pakistani news agencies will be effectively and sincerely pursued. He regretted that some Pakistani media under Western influence had made negative propaganda regarding the relations between the two countries.

He said that 2019 was a very important year between the two countries, as Prime Minister Imran Khan made two important visits to China and held useful meetings with Chinese leadership. He maintained that the two countries discussed in the context of CPEC and Pak-China relations, adding the priority of both countries was development, welfare of the people and peace and security in the region.

He said in the coming year, the two countries will promote cooperation. He said Orange Line Metro train completed in 2019, work on Karakoram Highway intensifies, Hub Coal Power Plan is almost completed and agricultural cooperation is now being promoted besides research centers and industrial cooperation was being established.

Chinese Ambassador said the opportunities for cooperation are bright. He said, propaganda can not affect the two countries' relations. He said that Xinhua and Pakistani news agency INP would strengthen cooperation between the two countries.

Prime Minister's Special Assistant on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan addressing on the occasion said that Chinese and Pakistani news agencies cooperation will discourage negative news about CPEC. She said that through Gwadar, Pakistan will be connected to the rest of the world.

She said the media has to play a role in the national interest as there was no effective weapon than the pen. Negative news can also harm the national interest, she said adding any negative news regarding CPEC can affect investment.

Ashiq Awan said the CPEC is the backbone of the domestic economy and the media's positive role would further strengthen it. She was of the opinion that without the media's help, the CPEC and One Belt One Road project could not be successful. It has successfully contributed to the continued promotion of bilateral relations between the two countries, she added.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman of Pak China Institute Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed said that the United States was using the so-called stories about human rights as as a weapon against China in which the American media and Western media are also playing their role

He said the main reason for China being economically strong is that the United States is worried about China's important role in the world.

Earlier, Zhao Yue, Xinhua’s General Sales Manager, Asia Pacific Regional Bureau in his address enlightened the media’s get-to-gather about the Chinese State news agency’s high standing in the media's circle World over. He sldo briefed about the growth of Xinhua over the years.

Founded in 1931, Xinhua is currently 180 overseas branches, including seven regional bureaus. Xinhua delivers more than 7,000 pieces of news products in the form of texts, photos, graphics, audios, and videos in 12 languages.

Followers of Xinhua accounts on international social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube are over 120 million. In recent years, Xinhua has been actively applying advanced science and technology to its news production and has launched Xinhua News Robot, artificial intelligence news anchor, and an intelligent production system named Magic, he added.

Xinhua, he further said attaches great importance to reports related to Pakistan. Adhering to reporting concepts including objectivity, authenticity and fairness, it has been portraying the real image of Pakistan to the Chinese people, recording every major progress of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), conveying the Pakistani people’s friendliness towards Chinese people.

He hoped the launching of Xinhua Pakistan Service in collaboration with Independent News Pakistan (INP) will be a landmark step towards strengthening of Sino-Pak collaborative partnership in the media sector.

INP/AK