ConTextos: Bridge Between China and Cuba

The ties of brotherhood that unite China and Cuba are historic. Diplomatic relations date far back for more than 60 years and rest on respect, dialogue, collaboration, and support. Common interests in spheres such as politics, culture, and development support the good understanding between both nations, interested in strengthening ties and increasing intercultural spaces that raise ties to an even closer level.

China is more than 13 thousand kilometers away from the Caribbean, it’s a country that also has a much older and more complex history, however, for Cubans it’s not completely alien, it has always aroused curiosity and admiration, and although culturally we are very different due to the language barrier, and their customs, recent facts and visions on the need to build an equitable world have united us for a long time.

In this regard, the ConTextos program broadcast every week by Canal Caribe, and carried out jointly between China Global Television Network (CGTN in Spanish) and the Cuban news channel, is a co-production that works as a window to bring the reality of the Asian giant closer to our town. Its first objective is to disclose everything that happens in the Asian nation, and its relationship with the world.

Although the first broadcast went on the air as a pilot almost nine months ago, it was not until now that directors of the China Media Group (CMG) and the Cuban Institute of Radio and Television (ICRT) officially presented the program on the Hall of Ambassadors of the Habana Libre Hotel, where a representation of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Cuba, the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, journalists, and media workers also attended.

In this regard, the Hon. Mr. Zhang Buxin, Minister Counselor of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Cuba conveyed his congratulations on behalf of his mission for the good performance of the project, while affirming that it demonstrates the trust and union between the two governments.

During his speech, Buxin recalled the recent visit of the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez to his country, and the intention to continue strengthening relations. He also highlighted the affective bond, the rich history and common ideals, as well as the United States' insistence on both China and our country.

The diplomat's speech transcends his qualification of ConTextos as a bridge for mutual learning and cultural understanding, and ended by wishing that the program "becomes better and better and becomes a symbolic project of exchange and cooperation between the media of both countries." .

Next, the First Vice President of the Cuban Institute of Radio and Television, Waldo Ramírez de la Ribera, highlighted the similar conditions we are experiencing related to the media war, a difficulty that unites us and drives us to face the hostility of the different administrations of the United States, For example. On this matter, he also referred to the importance of our media as fundamental tools to deepen and fight for democracy and a better future.

For his part, the General Director of the China Media Group for Latin America, Zhu Boying, also referred to the responsibility of the media as witnesses to history, and highlighted that ConTextos, through objective and positive news, contributes to the development of bilateral relations, favors exchange and promote support among media actors based on accepting the differences and interests of the other.

Similarly, Boying gave value to the program to make China as a destiny visible to the Latin American region, and called for finding greater alliances between professionals from both territories that strengthen feedback, and cooperation among the media networks.

ConTextos airs every Wednesday evening, and is re-ran on weekends. In half an hour, its makers offer information on current events in China, and for this they rely on analysis and interviews with national and foreign experts. For their production they use content shared on the CCTV+, AMSP platforms, as well as the Spanish and English CGTN Youtube channel.

According to television audience studies, in this first phase Contextos has reached nearly six million people in Cuba. Its public is mainly composed of the academic, diplomatic, university sectors, related to international politics, among others. The anchoring is in charge of journalists Roxana Romero Rodríguez, and Menfesí Eversley Silva, who use a pleasant and deep way of interviewing and presenting the issues that mark the media agenda of the moment.

Regarding ConTextos, Romero Rodríguez stated that “it’s the expression of the strengthening of the collaboration between both countries, in this case, in the media sector. Each week it undergoes a strict consultation process with specialists; they are alert to select the pieces of news, information from China; and also a joint work with the correspondents in Cuba of the media group, and the newsroom of CGTN Español in Beijing”, refers to the scriptwriter herself.

Meanwhile, Eversley Silva says that the program provides him a lot in terms of knowledge. “The search to inform forces us to investigate, analyze, discriminate between elements to build our own authentic material. You learn a lot about the dynamics of creation and development of that society.” Likewise, he emphasized the discipline and fidelity of the Chinese to their ideology and to the strategies outlined from the joint decisions within their National People's Assembly, and the Communist Party (PCCh) "to carry out the programs of progress for the nation and uphold the one-China principle.

The also journalist for the Cuban Television-Caribe Channel highlighted the industriousness and efficiency of the Chinese in all matters that generate concrete results in development.

In the field of communication, ConTextos is essential to offer the shared perspective of a world without hegemonism, in complex times of media campaigns, above all, of Western powers and media that try to impose imperial domination, unilateralism. It’s a fresh, diverse program, with careful audiovisual production that provides the most up-to-date on China in all its aspects, be it cultural, social, political, scientific or economic.

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff