Bernama, the Malaysian National News Agency, and China's
Xinhua news agency have agreed to enhance their cooperation into a "new
phase".
Bernama General Manager Datuk Yong Soo Heong and Xinhua
President Li Congjun noted that the cooperation between the two agencies was
going on smoothly.
"Our cooperation and relations can serve as example
for news organisations," said Li during their meeting at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Kuala Lumpur last night.
It was his first trip to Kuala Lumpur and declared that
he was impressed with the city.
He recalled seeing the Petronas Twin Towers from the
Hollywood movie ‘Entrapment’.
Li also revealed that he loved durians.
When served durian crepe as dessert at the ensuing dinner,
he initially took a small bite, paused for a second and said it was the best
durian taste he ever had.
On a lighter vein, he said he was trying to get his 10-month old grand daughter to taste durian.
Bernama Editor-in-Chief Datuk Zulkefli Salleh and his
three deputies: Datuk Zakaria Abdul Wahab (General News Service), Amer Hamzah
Md Sap (Economic Service) and Ahmad Zukiman Zain (International News Service)
were present.
Xinhua's Director-General for Foreign Affairs and
International Cooperation Zhou Zongmin and its Kuala Lumpur bureau chief Hu
Guang Yao also attended the meeting.
The cordial meeting took place as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku
Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah was hosting a state banquet at Istana Negara in honour of visiting
China's President Xi Jinping.
Bilateral relations between the two countries had grown
stronger with China becoming Malaysia's largest trading partner.
Apart from news exchange, the Bernama-Xinhua cooperation
could be expanded to include training of journalists so as to enhance their
skills and competency.
Xinhua would welcome Bernama reporters to visit Xinhua's
head office to gain experience on how Xinhua cover their stories.
The Xinhua bureau chief in Kuala Lumpur was also ready to
share his experience on news reporting with Bernama, Li said.
Xinhua has 175 overseas bureaus with 4,000 local staff
and 50 branches within China.
“We will open five more by end of the year and keep the
figure at 180,” said Li, who was promoted from vice president to Xinhua
president in March 2008.
They also discussed challenges and opportunities posed by
the new media and the marketing of news products to meet customers need.
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