Signed and sealed: Fahmi (centre) witnessing the signing of the agreement between Nur-ul Afida (sitting left) and Wang at Wisma Bernama in Kuala Lumpur. Also present is Wong (left). — Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: Two national news agencies, Bernama and Xinhua, have kicked off the 50th diplomatic anniversary of Malaysia and China with an upgrade in media cooperation.
Bernama chairman Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai said it was a good early start to next year’s celebrations.
He said this heralds the commencement of the celebrations in just a month from now.
“Today’s renewal of the agreement between Bernama and Xinhua signifies more than an extension of the wire service; it opens doors for content exchange that aligns seamlessly with our evolution into broadcast and digital media.
“In this spirit of collaboration, I extend sincere hope Xinhua will utilise our content to showcase the opportunities awaiting Chinese investors in Malaysia and to highlight the achievements of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, a newsmaker on the international stage,” he said in his welcoming speech at the signing ceremony at Wisma Bernama here.
The agreement was signed by Bernama’s editor-in-chief (also discharging the duties of chief executive officer) Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin and Xinhua’s Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau director Wang Jinfu.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil and the Chinese Embassy’s Minister in Malaysia Zheng Xuefang.
Also present were Communications Ministry deputy secretary-general (Strategic Communication and Creative Industry) Nik Kamaruzaman Nik Husin and Xinhua vice-president Zhu Haili.
Wong said the collaboration between Bernama and Xinhua began on Dec 14, 1985, with the signing of the inaugural news exchange agreement.
In retrospect, he said that “this partnership has not only weathered the test of time but has also evolved into a beacon of journalistic excellence”.
“We strategically engaged with like-minded counterparts and regional news groups, such as the Organisation of Asia Pacific News Agencies.
“This journey led us to forge a pivotal partnership with Xinhua,” said Wong.
He also said Xinhua’s vast resources have been instrumental in enabling Bernama to offer credible and diverse news coverage.
“Beyond global news, coverage of events within China is of great importance to Bernama,” added Wong.
Meanwhile, Wang said he was glad to come to Malaysia this year.
He said Xinhua has maintained good communication and cooperation with Bernama and other Malaysian media outlets, and has played an important role in enhancing mutual understanding between the two peoples and deepening the friendship between the two countries.
“Xinhua News Agency is willing to work with the Malaysian media in covering various fields between the two countries, and to create a positive atmosphere for the upcoming 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations,” he said.
Wang said Xinhua has kept pace with the ever-changing media development trends in recent years and built the first intelligent editorial department in the global media sphere – a self-production intelligent video gathering and editing system called “Media Brain”, the world’s first artificial intelligence news anchor.
As a global pioneer in media technology innovation, he said Xinhua also delivers drone-borne news, satellite news, VR news, 3D animation news and other innovative products. — Bernama Signed and sealed: Fahmi (standing, centre) witnessing the signing of the agreement between Nur-ul Afida (sitting, left) and Wang at Wisma Bernama in Kuala Lumpur. Also present is Wong (left). — Bernama
