CEBU, Philippines – Delegates from Xiamen City in China were here yesterday to launch "Xiamen Star TV", a satellite TV channel that will air programs in Min Nan dialect to promote Chinese culture in Cebu as part of Cebu City and Xiamen City sisterhood agreement.
Xiamen Star TC will provide a wide range of broadcast programs covering entertainment, culture, arts and news for the Chinese community in Cebu City.
Hong Biling, executive vice president of Xiamen International Cultural Exchange Association said that the launching is still an initial step because they are yet to find a local network which will provide the slots for their program.
They have already gone to Manila and other countries in Asia, Europe, America, Canada and Latin America to introduce the channel.
Biling said that he hopes that modern technology, the 26-year old relationship of Xiamen City and Cebu City, will be broadened and strengthened not just in the culture and history but also in the economic and business aspect.
Xiamen and Cebu City's sisterhood ties were formalized on October 26, 1984.
For the last 26 years, the partnership has resulted to a lot of bilateral visits, trade missions and other official exchanges. To recall, the government of Xiamen built a Cebu City park by the sea in Xiamen City.
Xiamen City is a modern port city in southeastern China and a tourist destination of international repute. It is also one of the five special economic zones in China.
Aside from Xiamen, the other sister cities of Cebu City include the US cities of Seattle, Salinas and Chula Vista, Kaohsiung in Taiwan, Beersheba in Israel, Parramatta in Australia, St. Petersburg in Russia, Bandung in Indonesia and Haarlemmermeer in Netherlands. (FREEMAN)