Culture and entertainment have great potential to bring different people together, as they awaken curiosities about the identity of each country. “My dream has always been to meet the protagonist of the soap opera Escrava Isaura [a atriz Lucélia Santos]. I had her as an idol. This shows the power of culture that a Brazilian soap opera had on me”, said the vice minister of the Communication Department of the Communist Party of China, Shen Haixiong.
“A seed that raised expectations regarding Brazilian culture”, he added. Haixiong spoke in Brasília, at an event commemorating 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
He is also president of China Media Group (CMG), the largest radio and television group in China, which celebrated and renewed, this Wednesday (20), a series of agreements with Brazilian Communication Company (EBC). The objective is to facilitate the production and exchange of audiovisual materials.
“CMG and EBC will bring our people even closer together, in addition to promoting technical, technological and cultural exchanges by presenting you with stories from China,” said Haixiong, referring to programs such as the 3rd season of “Classics Quoted by Xi Jinping”, a series that features participation of the Chinese president.
Present at the event, the vice-president of the Republic and minister of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services, Geraldo Alckmin, highlighted the potential that culture has for the most diverse sectors of the economy.
“Culture is the way to bring our people even closer together”, stated the vice-president of the Republic, Geraldo Alckmin. Photo – Valter Campanato/Agência Brasil
“Culture is the way to bring our people even closer together. And the two media groups [EBC e CMG] will help make China better known in Brazil; and Brazil, better known in China, favoring, for example, tourism and other sectors [a ele relacionados]”, said Alckmin.
Cultural exchange
Chief Minister of the Presidency’s Social Communication Secretariat, Paulo Pimenta, said that today’s meeting and the agreements signed consolidate cultural exchange and ties between Brazil and China.
“It’s been 50 years of reestablishing diplomatic relations with this strategic partner for Brazil, in various economic and cultural sectors. Today, also in communications, when we share stories, values and world views”.
“We are now committed to expanding this cooperation, with content exchanges and joint projects to bring voices and stories to both countries,” he added. Pimenta also highlighted that, in addition to enhancing tourism, cooperation must also cover areas such as education, medicine, commerce and professional training, among others.
The Minister of Culture, Margareth Menezes, assesses that such partnerships show that Brazil and China are experiencing one of their best moments in terms of bilateral relations. “Today we reached another level. In audiovisual, we will have increasingly frequent cultural exchanges”, he celebrated.
Fighting misinformation
The president of EBCJean Lima, recalled that the partnership with CMG began in 2019, covering program exchange, content sharing, professional training, as well as technological exchange. “We are prepared for the opportunities and perspectives that this partnership will continue to provide.”
Lima highlighted the role that public and government communication has in combating disinformation, especially in countries with continental dimensions and regional differences such as Brazil and China.
“This process needs to be reversed. [da desinformação]which so weakens the political system, polarizes relations and undermines democratic institutions”. He also defended the role of media education as a stimulus to critical thinking, according to him, one of the indispensable pillars for the formation of citizens and the integrity of information.
