BEIJING – Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting, National Historyand Literary Heritage, Marriyum Aurangzeb has welcomed the proposal by theChinese Vice Minister of State Administration of Press Publication, Radio,Film and Television (SAPPRFT) Mr. Tong Gang for working on an agreementbetween the two countries for cooperation in the area of film productionand fim infrastructure which the latter made when the former called on himhere today (Monday).
She expressed the hope that the agreement would be prepared and formalizedexpeditiously. The Indormation Minister dilating on collaboration betweenRadio and Television of both the countries, informed her host that thepresent government was formulating a film policy which would includevarious incentives for the revival of the film industry in Pakistan addingthat it would soon be announced.
She said that Pakistan was now producing good quality films for cinemaviewers, however, it wanted to follow Chinese model to further develop thefilm industry on modern lines. Marriyum Aurangzeb observed that presentlyChina was collaborating with 19 countries in film production and Pakistanwanted to become its 20th partner in this field.
She informed the Chinese minister that Pakistan had set up a Chinesecultural centre in Pakistan National Council of the Arts. She said thatPakistan was committed to participate in the film festival on the eve ofsummit meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
The Minister of State said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) wasall about the people and stressed the need for enhancing culturalcollaboration between the two countries to familiarize them about thebenefits the mega-economic initiative.
She said that CPEC was a flagship project of Belt and Road Initiativeannounced by President Xi Jinping for shared prosperity and well-being ofthe people across the region and beyond. Welcoming the delegation, ChineseVice Minister said that China and Pakistan friendship was an example ofbrotherly relations for the world.
He informed Marriyum Aurangzeb that China was producing 700 films annuallyand had nearly 50,000 screens. China, he said was keen to share itsexperience with Pakistan. Pakistan Ambassador to China, Masood Khalid,Senior officials from both sides were also present in the meeting.