Open A New Chapter to Promote China-Africa Exchanges and Public Diplomacy: Opening Ceremony of The 3rd Study Session under China-Africa Press Exchange Center Program
2016-05-16
As
a pivotal component of the African Journalist Exchange Program in China administered
by the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), the
China-Africa Press Exchange Center, launched in February 2014, is one of the
important measures taken to implement the decision of promoting China-Africa
pragmatic cooperation made by the 5th FOCAC Ministerial Meeting in
2012. The Center was launched in February, 2014 and is offering the 3rd study
session to African journalists this year. The Beijing Housing Service
Corporation for Diplomatic Missions (HSC), with its quality and efficient
services provided for implementing the program, has won strong trust of the
Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since the arrival of
the first group of African journalists in 2014, the HSC has been offering housing
services for office and residential use by reporters during their stay in
China.
Thanks
to the continuous development of the China-Africa Press Exchange Center Program,
the number of journalists taking part has risen from 10 in the first session in
2014 to 22 in this year's session, who need 23 suites (22 for residential and 1
for office use) compared to 11 suites in 2014. Attaching great importance to
the Program, the BDS and the HSC leadership issued instructions to ensure that the
DRC was chosen as the accommodation for the journalists this year. This
Department proactively communicated with the Information Department, MFA, and
provided confirmation about how many suites were available in the first
instance. Miss Lin Li, Deputy General Manager of the HSC, accompanied the
Information Department officials when they inspected the suites and determined how
the suites should be redecorated and furnished. It was merely 5 weeks’ time from
learning about the needs for additional suites on 20 January to the arrival of
the first journalist on 24 February, and the pressing task had to be completed
during the Spring Festival holidays. We got in touch with the Property
Management Department of Jianwai DRC and the Aojie Company to finish the entire
redecoration task 4 days ahead of schedule.Manpower shortage during the holidays was
overcome and the housing demands were met eventually. Moreover, all the
household appliances and curtains for 23 suites were put in place in 4 days by merely
3 workers, which played a crucial part in ensuring that the journalists could
move in as scheduled.
The reception work was an intense task given
the number of journalists involved. All the Public Relations & Sales Department
staff performed the work conscientiously regardless of whether the journalists'
arrival time was at 6 pm or 1 am, on a working day or weekend. Journalists
arriving at the DRC were greeted by our staff with a fresh flower bouquet, warm
salutations and sweet smiles. When journalists pushed open the suite door, they
entered into a warm and comfortable home, which was a pleasant surprise to them
all. All the journalists thanked their receptionists excitedly. The successful
completion of the reception task would have been impossible without the full
support from the Property Management Department of the Jianwai DRC.
Under the support and leadership of Ms
Jiang, Executive Deputy Director General of the BDS and the HSC leadership, the
Public Relations & Sales Department has added to its task list the
Liangmaqiao Diplomatic Office Building and Jianwai Media Center promotional activities
apart from providing existing services. Every opportunity has been taken to promote
the value-added conferencing service to foreign diplomatic missions. Through
communications and coordination with the Information Department of the MFA, the
opening ceremony of the China-Africa Press Exchange Center Program 2016 was
eventually held at the Multi-Function Room of the Jianwai Media Center. Conscientious
planning and preparations were made including inspection of the venue and
catering arrangements to ensure the success of the event.
Journalists and diplomats from some 20 African
countries took part in the opening ceremony on the afternoon of 1 March, and
Mr. Lu Kang, Director General of the Information Department, MFA, and Mr. Lv
Fengding, Vice President of the China Public Diplomacy Association, were
present and delivered the opening remarks. Ms. Jiang Qi, Executive Deputy Director
General of the BDS, Mr. Zhang Yue and Miss Lin Li, General and Deputy General Managers
of the HSC, also took part in the event. Mr. Lu expressed his satisfaction for
the top-class hardware of the Multifunction Room and excellent conferencing
service provided by the HSC, and told Ms. Jiang that he would like to have all his
department’s events held in the Multifunction Room in the future. The
Information Department paid RMB16,000 to the HSC for the event.
Upon conclusion of the ceremony, the
official in charge of the China-Africa Press Exchange Center Program said that
the African journalists reception work this year was a complete success and the
opening ceremony was excellent to the immense satisfaction of the MFA
leadership. He thanked the HSC for its strong support as well as the hard work
of the HSC team, and hoped that the Program would continue to receive support
from the HSC.
The success in accomplishing the reception
work and holding the opening ceremony for the 3rd journalist study
session under in the China-Africa Journalist Exchange Program opened a new
chapter for the DRC in providing service to diplomatic missions, enhanced the
DRC brand image and influence, and gained a good experience for contributing to
China’s diplomatic cause and providing services to diplomatic missions. In the
mean time, the Public Relations & Sales Department becomes more than ready
to support public diplomacy efforts.
