China's StarTimes vows support for Cote d'Ivoire

The Chinese company StarTimes says it is ready to support Cote d'Ivoire in its process of migrating from analogue to digital television.

"My presence in Abidjan should be viewed as a demonstration of our desire to support the Cote d'Ivoire government in the administration process of developing the radio-television and communication sectors," StarTimes Director General Pang Xinxing said on Monday.

Pang voiced the support after a meeting with Prime Minister Jeannot Kouadio-Ahoussou in Abidjan, the economic capital of the West African country.

"Our speciality is in the area of digital television, especially in research, conception, development of the digital technology and running of the digital television network," the director general said.

Pang was one of the 200 Chinese businessmen during a visit to Abidjan in August at the invitation of President Alassane Ouattara to explore investment opportunities in Cote d'Ivoire.

The government has expressed interest in accomplishing the migration from analogue television to digital television by the year 2015.

A group of experts commissioned by Cote d'Ivoire released its first report in July indicating that the whole process will cost the country 108.7 million U. S. dollars.