Roundup: Ethiopian, Chinese media pledge efforts to deepen people-to-people ties

ADDIS ABABA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian and Chinese Media have expressed mutual commitment to serve as connecting bridges in deepening growing People-to-People ties between Ethiopia and China.

Ethiopia's state-run news agency ENA on Tuesday revealed the joint commitment that mainly aimed to enhance cooperation among the two countries' Media, with particular emphasis on human resource development and exchange of information.

Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) officials made the remarks following meeting with delegates from All-China Journalists Association (ACJA), who have visited the headquarters of Ethiopia's official news agency in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa on Monday, ENA said on Tuesday.

"The two sides have agreed to enhance cooperation particularly on human resource development and exchange of information," ENA said.

The delegates, who also visited various departments of ENA and held discussion with ENA's leadership on mutual cooperation, are comprised of Media leaders and practitioners drawn from Media outlets in China, it was noted.

As part of the cooperation agreement, Ethiopian and Chinese journalists will have the chance to visit Media houses and encounter with fellow journalists across the two countries with an aim to strengthen and promote relations between the two countries, it was noted.

According to ACJA Executive Secretary Pan Gang, mutual cooperation among the two countries Media and journalists "is a bridge for the People to People relation of both countries."

"We have a mutual understanding with the Ethiopian News Agency. So we will enhance our existing cooperation between ENA and ACJA as well as our two countries at all levels," ENA quoted Pan as saying.

"We will continue to invite Ethiopian journalists to visit China and send Media personnel to visit Ethiopia to promote our future exchange of views," he said, adding "We understand very well that journalism is a bridge between our two countries and Peoples to cement our existing relations and cooperation, to promote and consolidate common understandings."

The ACJA, which was established in Shanghai, China in Nov. 1937, is a national association of China's journalism professionals.

Ethiopia and China, with growing partnership across various development sectors, have witnessed positive results in deepening People-to-People relations between the two friendly countries.

According to the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the comprehensive partnership between Ethiopia and China, which represents sustainable and predictable relations on various corporation areas, effectively showcases the successful South-South partnership modality.

Frequent official visits by high-level officials of the two countries in recent years, in particular, helped the two countries to realize strategic agreements on further strengthening the People-to-People relations, which also paved the way for human development partnerships among the two countries, the ministry said in a statement recently.