Beijing (TDI): Pakistan and China have agreed to deepen cooperation between their state media organizations to counter fake news and misinformation, as part of a broader push to strengthen cultural and strategic ties.
The agreement was reached during a high-level meeting in Beijing between Pakistan’s Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, and Cao Shumin, Deputy Head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Minister of China’s National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA).
Both sides also agreed on a joint narrative against fake news and stressed technical training and institutional cooperation in this regard. They described the current collaboration in the media as a reflection of mutual trust and longstanding friendship.
A proposed agreement between China Central Television (CCTV) and PTV was also reviewed. The deal would formalize cooperation and facilitate content sharing, training, and news exchange between the two broadcasters.
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Pakistan and China have long-standing ties and media has become a key pillar of this relationship, with initiatives such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) often featured in joint broadcasts and exchanges.
“PTV, Radio Pakistan, and APP are not only sharing Pakistan’s stories but also highlighting China’s progress and development model,” Tarar said during the meeting.
The two countries also explored the idea of arranging exchange visits for digital influencers and social media professionals. Tarar stressed that such initiatives could inject fresh energy into bilateral relations by encouraging youth-driven digital engagement.
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Highlighting the strength of public sentiment, Tarar referred to recent Pakistan-India tensions, noting how youth in both Pakistan and China showed overwhelming support for each other across social media platforms.
Cao Shumin reaffirmed Beijing’s view of Pakistan as a “trusted partner,” and said both countries’ media outlets could benefit from deeper collaboration and knowledge-sharing.
She underscored the role of media and cultural initiatives in fostering closer people-to-people relations, which, she said, could introduce new dimensions to the China-Pakistan friendship.
The two sides agreed that under a joint strategy, media partnerships would continue to expand, especially in areas like film, digital media, youth exchanges, and cultural communication.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
