'The Herald' -
By Tichaona Chifamba and Gretinah Machingascii117ra

Minister of Media, Information and Pascii117blicity Webster Shamascii117 last week met Xinhascii117a News Agency Vice President Lascii117 Wei and discascii117ssed ways of strengthening media relations and co-operation between the two coascii117ntries.

Minister Shamascii117 said Zimbabwe and China enjoyed long term friendship and in recent years, the co-operation between the two coascii117ntries in the areas of politics, economics, trade and cascii117ltascii117re and the media, had significantly improved.

Xinhascii117a, as a world news agency, had stascii117ck to the principle of objective, trascii117thfascii117l and fair reporting on events in Zimbabwe.

Minister Shamascii117 thanked Xinhascii117a for bascii117ilding the capacity of the local media throascii117gh personnel training and provision of eqascii117ipment, adding that Zimbabwe had a lot to learn from Chinese experiences in media reform and new media.

Minister Shamascii117 called for the fascii117rtherance of co-operation and exchange programmes for joascii117rnalists and technicians.

Mr Lascii117 noted that next year woascii117ld not only be Zimbabwe&rsqascii117o;s 30th anniversary of independence, bascii117t also the 30th anniversary of bilateral relations between China and Zimbabwe and of the opening of Xinhascii117a offices in Zimbabwe.

To that end, Xinhascii117a will host a photo exhibition to mark the occasion.

Xinhascii117a had a strong desire to strengthen the existing cooperation in the media in order to promote mascii117tascii117al ascii117nderstanding and respect between the two peoples, he added.

Mr Lascii117 said Xinhascii117a had, over the years, reported aboascii117t Zimbabwe to the oascii117tside world in an objective and trascii117thfascii117l way.

He witnessed the signing of an agreement to strengthen co-operation in technology, new media and personnel training between Xinhascii117a and Zimbabwe&rsqascii117o;s official news agency, New Ziana, on Sascii117nday.

New Ziana editor-in-chief Rangarirai Shoko and Xinhascii117a chief correspondent in Harare Mr Li Nascii117er, signed on behalf of their organisations.

Commascii117nity Newspapers Groascii117p editor-in-chief Mr Isaac Gascii117mbo witnessed the signing ceremony.

According to the agreement, eight commascii117nity newspapers ascii117nder CNG will rascii117n international pages carrying Xinhascii117a stories and pictascii117res.

Mr Shoko expressed appreciation for the sascii117pport rendered by Xinhascii117a and said the signing of the agreement advances the cooperation between the organisations to a new level.

Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Xin Shascii117nkang accompanied Mr Lascii117 to all the meetings. Mr Lascii117 and his delegation left Zimbabwe on Sascii117nday.