Acting Minister of Media Dr. Majed bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi inaugurated today in Riyadh the Arab-China Media Cooperation Forum, with the participation of a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party Li Shulei, Chairman of the China Media Group (CMG) and Editor-in-Chief Shen Haixiong, the Saudi Ambassador to China Abdulrahman Al-Harbi, and the CEO of Saudi Broadcasting Authority (SBA), Mohammed bin Fahd Al-Harithi, and the Chinese Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Chen Weiqing, also participated in the forum, as well as more than 150 personalities representing the leading Arab and Chinese media outlets. At the outset of the forum, Al-Qasabi stressed that the forum represents a valuable opportunity and a promising platform for consultation, acquaintance, and coordination of efforts to enhance Chinese-Arab media cooperation. He added that China is a reliable partner in media and many other fields. Al-Qasabi wished the forum success in introducing new media initiatives that would contribute to deepening the relations between the Arab and Chinese cultures and civilizations in a way that reflects the developing relations between the two sides in all fields. The forum included the launch of three initiatives for media cooperation between the Kingdom and the Arab countries with China, including an initiative to produce a joint TV show between SBA and CMG, entitled "Heart to Heart and Hand in Hand", whose episodes narrate human and social stories of Saudi citizens living in China, and Chinese people living in the Kingdom, with an emphasis on cultural and social integration between the citizens of the two countries. The event also included the announcement of the "broadcasting Chinese visual works in Arab countries and broadcasting Arab works in Chinese media" initiative, which aims to promote the exchange of cultural, artistic, and social content between Arab media and their Chinese counterparts, thus contributing to raising the level of Chinese society's awareness of Arab culture and acquainting Arab citizens about Chinese culture. Moreover, an initiative was announced to "strengthen cooperation between the Arab and Chinese media," which included the exchange of technical expertise between China and the Arab countries, raising the level of commitment to protecting the credibility of news, and exchanging visits between the media professionals in China and the Arab countries. During the second session of the forum, a symposium was held entitled "China and the Arab World in a New Journey", during which the participants, senior media officials in the Kingdom and the Arab countries, discussed with their Chinese counterparts ways to enhance Chinese-Arab media cooperation and mechanisms to benefit from the forum as a platform for Saudi and Arab media expertise to meet with Chinese expertise, and expand sharing experiences, and discussing aspects of partnership in various media fields.
