China's state-controlled Xinhua news agency said Friday it would launch a 24-hour global English television service this weekend to be broadcast by satellite and cable systems.
The service, due to begin on Saturday, will be produced by the China Network Corporation (CNC), an affiliate of Xinhua, and will make use of the agency's correspondents worldwide, it said.
"CNC will offer an alternative source of information for a global audience and aims to promote peace and development by interpreting the world in a global perspective," Xinhua president Li Congjun said.
The news channel is the latest effort by China's communist government to expand its media reach worldwide.
The government has earmarked 45 billion yuan (6.5 billion dollars) to fund the expansion of groups including Xinhua, state television station CCTV and China Radio International, according to Hong Kong media - at a time when the industry is facing a major money crunch elsewhere.
Xinhua - which is planning to add to its 117 bureaux around the world, which report in eight languages - would like to join the tight circle of top international news agencies.
sai/pdw
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