Copy Reference As people-to-people exchange between China and the Philippines has been gaining momentum in recent years, media in both countries have been communicating more closely, enhancing the mutual understanding between the two countries.
Martin Andanar, Secretary of the Philippine Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), illustrated that as close neighbors across the sea, the Philippines and China share affinitive cultures and core values of equality and inclusiveness. He considers it natural for the two countries to communicate more closely and nurture friendly ties between peoples to strengthen bilateral cooperation for common development.
“Media offers shortcuts for enhanced communication and consensus-building,” opined Andanar. “The general public develops ideas about the outside world through media. Media builds a bridge for mutual understanding between different civilizations. Without the media, it would take a lot longer to build trust.” Andanar hopes more Philippine journalists and other media figures visit China to explore its beauty and learn about how Chinese media operates.
Enhancing Bilateral Media Exchanges
Upon an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping, Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte visited China from October 18 to 21, 2016. A joint statement during the visit noted that “Both sides agree to encourage mutual visits of media personnel and exchange of media products as well as cooperation in facilities, technologies and training between Chinese media and Philippine media.”
Among the signed cooperation documents attached to the joint statement was a Memorandum of Agreement between the State Council Information Office of the People’s Republic of China and the Presidential Communications Operations Office of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines on News, Information Exchange, Training and for Other Purposes. The agreement is a result of people-to-people exchange between the two countries. Since 2016, cooperation between the two countries in news and information has achieved rapid development and created a healthy atmosphere for public opinion to drive the development of bilateral relations.
Guo Weimin, vice minister of China’s State Council Information Office, commented that under the care and guidance of the two heads of state, Sino-Philippine ties have shifted back to a healthy track of stable development with bilateral cooperation in all fields in full swing. He expressed hope that the two sides would continue to work together to strengthen pragmatic media cooperation.
Andanar noted that since the signing of the memorandum, Philippine media has carried out cooperation such as content sharing with several Chinese media outlets including Xinhua News Agency, China Radio International (CRI) and China Central Television (part of China Media Group).
On the eve of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in April 2019, Andanar visited China as the head of a Philippine media delegation. In an interview with China Report ASEAN, he described the visit as informative in terms of knowledge and skills related to management of television, radio and network media platforms. A tour of China International Publishing Group (CIPG) offices inspired him to work on organizing a similar official publishing agency in the Philippines.
Andanar called Chinese media competitive, especially in innovative technology. He believes that close cooperation between media will help more Philippine media professionals personally witness developments in China.
Benjamin Felipe, a PCOO official who attended a 14-day Seminar for Media Reporters of the Philippines in 2018, reported that the seminar completely changed his perception of China. During the two weeks, he realized first-hand that the Chinese people are friendly and industrious, which has driven the Chinese economy’s rapid development.
Another seminar attendee was Emmanuel Taghoy, an official from the Philippine Information Agency. He was happy to discover the real China to share with colleagues back home after everything he saw, heard, and experienced during the seminar.
Other attendees agreed that China’s innovation and development in news media provides a model for the Philippines. They welcomed more training opportunities for the Philippines to promote exchange and understanding between the media and people of the two countries.
From April 29 to May 1, 2018, an All-China Journalists Association (ACJA) delegation visited the Philippines. The group visited several Philippine media organizations, including The Manila Times, Philippine Television (PTV), Philippine Radio and Philippine News Agency (PNA), and shared information with their counterparts on such topics as journalism and communication, education for media practitioners and social media development.
Closer Partnership
Recent years have brought tremendous progress for China-Philippines media cooperation. Radio programs jointly produced by CRI and Philippine Radio have already hit the air. On June 13, 2018, “China Theater” was launched on PTV. For the first time ever, Filipino viewers had access to Tagalog versions of Chinese film and TV programs such as Flying Feathers, Beijing Love Story, Warrior Kitten and Jimmy and Marco Polo – from History to Modernity.
“China Theater” is international branding for Chinese film and TV programs designed by China Media Group. Within the framework of a cooperation program, selected Chinese film and TV programs can be broadcast on national television or mainstream media of host countries in local languages or with local language subtitles.
On December 9, 2019, Philippine China Network Television (CNTV) announced that it would introduce Chinese-language broadcasts in close collaboration with Fujian Quanzhou Radio and Television Station. Documentaries, TV series and cartoons such as The Maritime Silk Road, Quanzhou Stories and Southern Fujian Family Trait are set to broadcast on IBC13, CNTV and other stations in Cebu Province and Davao City.
To provide support for the Philippines in the fight against COVID-19, China’s State Administration of Press and Publication, Radio, Film and Television sponsored donations of Chinese TV programs with English dubbing or subtitles from Fujian Provincial Administration of Radio, Film and Television and Quanzhou Television Station to the Philippine PCOO. The donation included TV series Young Doctors and The Ordinary World, documentaries Maritime Silk Road, Silk Road Arts and Crafts and Fujian Tea Culture, and cartoons Monkey King, Giant Insects Island Adventures and Baby Bus.
In October 2017, China Report Press under CIPG established a content sharing mechanism with The Philippine Star by launching “China Focus” column in the Philippine paper.
“This is an open and transparent channel for communication between media of the two countries based on solid bilateral relations,” commented Andanar. “Establishing such communication is essential for governments, media professionals and readers to strengthen cooperation and friendship.”
“My friends and I are finding out more and more about China from the media,” revealed Aya Puyat, a university student in Manila. “Timely information opens a window to China and moves us closer to the Chinese people.”
Martin Andanar (left), Secretary of the Philippine Presidential Communications Operations Office, takes a selfie with Guo Weimin (right), vice minister of China’s State Council Information Office, during a visit to Suzhou Broadcasting System after the China-ASEAN Conference of Ministers Responsible for Information on November 22, 2017.
To commemorate the 43rd anniversary of Sino-Philippine diplomatic ties, China Media Group and PTV jointly launch “China Theater” in Manila on June 13, 2018.
Poster of Chinese TV series Flying Feathers in the Philippines.