Sri Lanka’s cabinet has approved a proposal to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between China’s Chongqing Transmission Corporation Limited and the state-run Rupavahini Corporation to promote mutual understanding, strengthen cooperation, and exchange training opportunities in the field of media, the government said.
The approval comes four months after President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s official visit to China where he signed 15 MOUs including related to media.
The government said the will create opportunities for exchanging programs between the People’s Republic of China and Sri Lanka, promoting academic and training opportunities, producing joint television programs, and obtaining necessary publicity for the tourism industry.
“The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal…. to sign the Memorandum of Understanding between Chongqing Transmission Corporation Limited of the People’s Republic of China and Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation,” the government said in its latest cabinet decision.
Before Dissanayake’s visit to China in January, the cabinet approved proposals to enter into agreements with Chinese media institutions for capacity building including training for officials from the Ministry and Department of Government Information as well as journalists from state media institutions for capacity building.
The Ministry of Health and Mass Media in January was also given cabinet approval to sign an MoU with National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) of China, while the Associated Newspapers Ceylon Limited (Lake House) will sign with Chinese state-owned Xinhua News Agency.
Similarly, the Department of Government Information was given cabinet approval to sign an MoU with Xinhua News Agency, while state-run Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation and Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation was given approval to sign the MOU with China Media Group.