Xinhua news agency, a Chinese state owned company has established operations in Rwanda citing the country’s impressive growth rate higher than countries in the rest of east Africa.
The official launching of Xinhua news agency took place at Kigali Serena hotel.
Mr. Liang the director of Xinhua news agency, Kigali branch says, “We have setup in Rwanda because of the country’s good and positive image generated through economic development,” he said adding that “The nation has been portraying a growth rate that is higher than average in the region and such accomplishments deserve considerable attention,” he says.
The agency owns one of major newspapers and Xinhua.net, the most popular website in china and operates CNC news TV. The agency will begin with an online news agency in Rwanda covering news and information in east Africa and Eastern DR-Congo.
Shu Zhan the Chinese ambassador to Rwanda explains that China has been heavily investing in Eastern Congo and thus establishing operations in Rwanda consequently facilitates Chinas access to the region.
“Our main responsibility is to bridge the gap between the Chinese people and Rwandans, through establishing direct communication instead of formal relations”, Says ambassador Zhan.
“We hope that through media exposure, more windows of investment will open in Rwanda from abroad,”Liang notes adding that China’s investment in Rwanda is now about 140 million USD.
Liang expressed his opinion on Rwanda’s media freedom and media climate saying, “It is my first time coming to Rwanda. I have been impressed so far by the level of media professionalism and manner in which media operates. I feel the media climate here is very attractive. We are looking forward to a prosperous cooperation between the local media and Xinhua”.
Xinhua news agency is not private but state owned and thus has not been involved in investments. it will report its news online via a website. Xinhua will be in in joint venture with star Africa media which has now more than 32,000 viewers across the nation. It’s news channel is also available on the star Africa service as well as on channel 415 on the DSTV bouquet.
Responding to igihe.com on the question of whether China receives special treatment from Rwanda and scepticism about investment in Rwandan media, Ambassador Shu Zhan said, “China has no investment in Rwanda’s media sector, and has no special treatment from Rwandan government. Usually, news from Chinese Agencies are not chosen by Rwandan newspapers”.
Ambassador Zhan adds, “We think that we can get enough news on Rwanda, through newspapers, RTV and Internet, including the Facebook page of H.E. President Paul Kagame.”
Sought for H.E Zhan’s comments on the alleged squeezing actions by his government against china media, he said, In 2009, China had more than 1,937 different newspapers and 9,851 different magazines. China also has many other Medias like TV, radios, Internet. 90% of them are independent ones.Therefore, we can not imagine what’s squeezing media means”.
However, the Chinese government is criticized for trying to keep a tight grip on traditional and new media preventing any challenges to its political authority.
China’s censorship of its media again grabbed headlines in early 2011following an online appeal for Chinese citizens to emulate the revolutions in north Africa and the Middle East.
Also Google’s battle with the Chinese government over Internet censorship in China and the awarding of the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize to jailed Chinese activist Liu Xiaobo have also drawn increased international attention to media censorship in China.
China’s burgeoning economy has allowed for greater diversity in China’s media coverage, and experts say the growing Chinese demand for information is testing the regime’s control over the media.
The watchdog group Reporters without Borders ranked China 171 out of 178 countries in its 2010 worldwide index of press freedom.
China’s media is undergoing a process of commercialization, which some observers believe is leading to growing competition, diversified content, and an increase in investigative reporting by Chinese news agencies.
Only state agencies can own media in China, but there is creeping privatization. China News Network Corporation (CNC), a twenty-four-hour global news network launched in July 2010, for example, is reportedly half privately financed.
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