Television series to focus on rocky Hong Kong-mainland relations

Qiushi Journal is also taking aim at the occasionally rocky Hong Kong-mainland relationship.

The propaganda flagship is teaming up with the Southern Media Group to produce a television series about love and friendship between the city's residents and their neighbours across the border.

The drama, to be called Love between Beijing and Hong Kong, is scheduled to start airing on CCTV Channel 1 in early 2015, Lu Huasheng, art director at Qiushi's film and TV centre told the Sunday Morning Post.

Lu said the scriptwriter was Chan Kiu-ying, one of the writers of the legendary 1980s TV series The Bund: Shanghai Revenge.

"The mainland and Hong Kong were separated for more than 100 years. We want to connect people from the two regions," Lu said.

"Politics is not enough. It's too stiff and Hongkongers don't want to accept the political values from the mainland. So we think culture and entertainment are closer to everyday life, and can better connect people," Lu said.

Lu said Qiushi planned to do more such TV dramas.

"We don't have the pressure to create profit and generate revenue. Our major job is still to convey the mainstream ideology."

Lu said the cast had not been decided, but they would ensure there would be faces Hong Kong people would recognise.