GNA, XINHUA To Exchange News

Accra, (Greater Accra) 10 Nov.,

Mr. John Mahama, Deputy Minister of Communications, today welcomed direct exchange of news between the Ghana News Agency and the New China News Agency (XINHUA), saying it will promote closer ties between the two countries. He said such cooperation between the media of the Third World not only strengthen the relations of their peoples but also lessen dependence on the multinational news agencies. Mr. Mahama was speaking when the African Bureau Chief of XINHUA, Mr. Qi Min Chen, called on him at his office. Mr. Chen is in the country to conclude a news exchange agreement with the GNA. ''Ghanaians are interested in Asia and the Far East and we are therefore happy that we shall be getting news from such an important area from XINHUA,'' the Deputy Minister said. He said government is trying to propel the GNA towards commercialisation and expressed the hope that XINHUA would share its experiences with GNA in this regard. Mr. Chen expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the talks between the management of GNA and his team. ''With 80 branches worldwide, XINHUA will be able to feed GNA with news from China as well as from many parts of the world.'' Mr. Sam Quaicoe, General Manager of the GNA who briefed Mr. Mahama on the agreement, said GNA will file daily to XINHUA, news about Ghana in exchange for news from XINHUA'S world service via satellite.