Xinhua, AFP sign memorandum of understanding

Xinhua News Agency President Fu Hua and Agence France-Presse (AFP) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Fabrice Fries shake hands during a signing ceremony between Xinhua News Agency and AFP in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

BEIJING, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Xinhua News Agency and Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU), and reached broad consensus on further expanding exchanges and cooperation in various fields.

Xinhua News Agency President Fu Hua and AFP Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Fabrice Fries jointly signed the MoU. This is the first concrete cooperation outcome achieved since the establishment of a high-level dialogue and cooperation mechanism for major international wire services within the framework of the World Media Summit (WMS) in December last year.

Over the past 60 years and more, the friendship between the two media organizations witnessed the development of relations between the two countries, Fu said.

AFP is one of the first Western news agencies to establish a friendly and cooperative relationship with Xinhua, Fu said. Xinhua and AFP signed the first news exchange protocol in 1957.

Fu said that Xinhua is willing to further strengthen exchanges with AFP and play a positive role in consolidating public support of the two countries, deepening strategic coordination and cooperation between China and France, and promoting the development of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership.

Fu and Fries agreed that Xinhua and AFP will jointly hold photo exhibitions in Beijing and Paris this year to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Fries said that AFP attaches great importance to its long-term friendly cooperation with Xinhua, and congratulates Xinhua on its successful hosting of the fifth WMS. Fries expressed his pleasure with the signing of the new MoU between the two news agencies.

AFP covered the historic moment of the establishment of diplomatic relations between France and China, and it will this year cover the important occasion of the 60th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two countries, Fries said.

Fu and Fries also exchanged views on the coverage of the Paris 2024 Olympics. 

Xinhua News Agency President Fu Hua meets with Agence France-Presse (AFP) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Fabrice Fries in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)