Asean media team learns more about China's development

The Asean media representatives meet with officials to get first hand information.

Seventeen media practitioners from Asean countries were given an opportunity recently to explore and get first hand information about the development of People's Republic of China. All the Asean countries except Thailand sent their media representatives for the Asean-China Journalists Visit Programme.

Among the itinerary of the 10-day programme were meeting with the officials of government ministries, other institutions and visiting interesting places.

Brunei Darussalam was represented by Kassim Hj Abd Rahman and Pg Hj Bahar Pg Hj Omar from the Department of Information.

On their arrival, the press delegation from Asean countries were welcomed and briefed by the organiser, the Information Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China.

The Asean journalists who represented various agencies met with the Vice Minister of Ministry of Information Industry, who explained on the Asean-China cooperation in telecommunication. The ministry stated that the Asean region has a fast growth in ICT industry.

According to the ministry, there are 701 million and 103 million telephone and Internet subscribers respectively in China. Among the major cooperation in ICT between China and Asean are Memorandum of Understanding between Asean and China on Cooperation in Information and Communications Technology, and Beijing Declaration on Asean-China ICT Cooperative Partnership for Common Development. China has also initiated ICT training and workshops for Asean.

Other officials met by the Asean media representatives were Mr Wu Dawei, China's Vice Foreign Minister, officials of the Ministry of Commerce, Head of Guanxi Province and Head of Guangdong Province.

The press from Asean countries also visited one of the Olympic stadiums, which is under construction and they were explained on the preparation of Olympic game, which will be held in China in 2008. According to the Deputy Director of the Beijing Organising Committee for the Games of the XX1X Olympiad, Mr Sun Weide, the Olympic Game involves 4,000 paid staff and 100,000 volunteers. The Olympic game is expected to attract 28,000 accredited and 10,000 non-accredited media from over the world.

In order to accommodate the arrival of visitors, the third terminal of the Beijing capital international airport is now under construction. Upon completion, the new airport will be able to accommodate 60 million passengers every year from the current 35 million.

In promoting trade relations between Asean and China, which is the sixth largest trading partner, the annual Asean-China expo was held in Nanning at Guangxi province starting last year. The 2nd China-Asean Expo was held from October 19 to 22, 2005 along with the 2nd China-Asean Business and Investment Summit.

The press delegation from Asean countries also visited the China-Asean Economic Zone in Nanning, which will be planned and developed into an industrial city, a satellite town and an environment-friendly garden city.

Other than meeting with officials from ministries, the journalists also visited other interesting places such as the Great Wall of China at Beijing province, Asean-China Expo Centre and Lijiang River and Yangshu in Guangxi province, and Institute of Southeast Asia Studies of Jinan University in Guangdong province.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin