Belt & Road documentary to highlight ASEAN countries

The ASEAN member countries include the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. (Photo: ASEAN/ Facebook)

BEIJING–Beijing Television (BTV) will air a Belt and Road documentary featuring the 10 Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) member countries, before the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation set on May 14-15 this year.

BTV Director Chen Dali announced this on Tuesday during the “Belt & Road” Themed Forum on Sustained Media Cooperation and Common Development held at the Beijing Broadcasting Tower Hotel.

“The documentary entitled ‘Hello, ASEAN: The Belt & Road Tour’ will feature the economic conditions and cultures of the 10 countries from Southeast Asia,” he said.

Chen said BTV Documentary HD Channel produced the six-episode documentary in cooperation of USilk Block and Belt & Road Media Cooperation Union (MCU) which was launched one year ago.

He said the “Hello, ASEAN: The Belt & Road Tour” documentary will be aired starting May 1 to inform the Chinese people about Southeast Asian countries.

The ASEAN member countries include the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar.

National Television of Cambodia Director Kem Gunawadh suggested all the Belt & Road documentaries from the different regions and countries should be combined and be broadcast in countries along Belt and Road.

“I suggest to have more openness, inclusiveness and cooperation because we are with you to have better economic integration through Belt and Road Initiative,” Gunawadh said.

In April last year, the China Intercontinental Communication Center (CICC) with the support of State Council Information Office of China (SCIOC) launched the Belt & Road MCU to serve as platform of cooperation among international media agencies in making accurate, inspiring and intriguing stories about Belt and Road Initiative.

The MCU was signed by 17 media agencies including the US National Geographic Channel, Discovery and History Channel and Singapore’s Channel NewsAsia.

“The Belt & Road MCU has now 43 global media and cultural organization members. We are hoping to creating a big platform for media. We look forward for more cooperation with media organization along Belt and Road,” CICC President Chen Lujun.

With the Belt & Road MCU growing membership, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific vice president Vikram Channa said over 500 million viewers can now watch all the Belt & Road documentaries through 21 TV channels in countries along the Belt and Road.

Some of the documentaries to be broadcast in the Discovery and National Geographic channels are Tibet: Roof of the World, Made in China and China’s Secret Worlds.

Chen said the B&R MCU is suggesting that documentaries and media reports should focus on stories of the people, trade and dreams along the Belt and Road.

The MCU also proposes that media entities should build Belt and Road broadcasting network and to work together to improve the quality and prosperity of the media industry.