Chinese company StarTimes Group and São Tomé and Príncipe have begun negotiations to convert radio and television from analogue to digital and introduce “major improvements” into telecommunication networks in the archipelago, the company’s president Pang Xinxing said on Thursday.

Pang Xinxing said the negotiations, mainly focused on the financing model for project of modernisation of telecommunications in São Tomé and Príncipe, are part of a cooperation agreement signed on Wednesday in São Tomé.

“In addition to the digitisation and modernisation of radio and television, the agreement provides for construction of a building to house the National Radio and Public Television of São Tomé and Príncipe to improve services and increase the production capacity of both radio and television content,” said the StarTimes president, who set the start of work for the next 30 days.

Pang Xinxing added that the agreement also aims to allow the government to “collect taxes” by charging a radio and television fee and “create jobs” for professionals in the sector.

The agreement signed between StarTimes and the government of São Tomé and Príncipe aims to increase the capacity and speed of access to the Internet and to improve other telecommunications services.

The President of StarTimes was given an audience by Prime Minister Patrice Trovoada before the agreement was signed by the Minister of Infrastructure, Carlos Vila Nova and witnessed by the Minister of Communication, Olinto Daio. (macauhub)