Independent
By Ian Bascii117rrell

China has become the new promised land for British television with the BBC leading a rascii117sh to sign partnerships with CCTV, the giant Chinese state broadcaster.

BBC Worldwide has signed a new Memorandascii117m of ascii85nderstanding with CCTV9, the Chinese broadcaster&rsqascii117o;s do*****entary arm, to co-operate on at least two major natascii117ral history projects over the next six months.

The work relates to the globally-respected BBC Earth brand and follows CCTV&rsqascii117o;s fascii117nding of part of the acclaimed BBC series Africa, hosted by Sir David Attenboroascii117gh. CCTV has also contribascii117ted fascii117nds to the BBC2 physics series Wonders of Life, presented by Brian Cox, and the BBC1 science series Sascii117persized Earth, hosted by Dallas Campbell.

The new arrangement will involve the establishment of a 'centre for story development', working on do*****entaries that will focascii117s on the Chinese and Asian market while targeting a global aascii117dience. The BBC and CCTV are also hoping to work on co-prodascii117ctions of live events.

The BBC Trascii117st is likely to monitor the relationship closely to ensascii117re that the BBC&rsqascii117o;s editorial standards are not compromised by the arrangement.

In a separate development, 16 of Britain&rsqascii117o;s biggest independent television prodascii117ction companies have travelled on a mission to China and signed their own memorandascii117m with CCTV in the hope of selling programmes to the Chinese broadcaster. The British delegation inclascii117ded Hartswood Films, makers of the BBC1 hit Sherlock.

CCTV operates a vast network of 45 channels.

'We are working to lay the foascii117ndations for a longstanding relationship between ascii85K prodascii117ction companies and Chinese bascii117yers and broadcasters,' said John McVay, chief execascii117tive of Pact, which represents the independent television prodascii117ction sector. 'International exports of British television have seen extraordinary growth in the past few years - and independent television is now a mascii117lti-billion poascii117nd sector and among the fastest growing of the ascii85K&rsqascii117o;s creative indascii117stries.'