Chinese Embassy Donates Equipment to Philippine Media

On February 13, 2019, the Chinese Embassy in Manila donated smartphones, computers, teleprompters, and video cameras to the Presidential Broadcasting Service (PBS) and the Philippine News Agency (PNA), both outlets of the Philippine government under the supervision of the News and Information Bureau (NIB). The handover ceremony, held at the Government Media Center, was attended by the Presidential Communications Secretary, the director of PBS, and the executive editor of PNA. The Chinese ambassador, Zhao Jianhua (赵鉴华), emphasized communication’s vital role in cementing “friendship” between the two nations, resorting to a common CCP foreign relations frame that implies accommodation of China’s core interests. Zhao praised the PCOO under Secretary Andanar for promoting bilateral relations and delivering friendly messages to both Filipino and Chinese audiences. He expressed willingness to help improve PCOO facilities as an appreciation for their work. The donation is an example of China’s broader overseas media strategy of providing technical equipment and resources to local news organizations as a means of building relationships and influence.