Buenos Aires – During the multi sector trade mission to the People’s Republic of China (Beijing and Shanghai) by Argentine president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, Telefe’s delegation announced a co production agreement with Shanghai Media Group. Alejandro Parra, director of international business of Telefe and Michelle Wasserman, head of international sales were the ones in charge of this agreement. Together with Shanghai Media Group and associate producers CTN and SVP, Telefe is working on the first Chinese-Latin American co-production, the telenovela Heartbeats (Latidos del Corazón), which will be a true turning point in Asian- Latin American relationships regarding audiovisual material. “Heartbeats is the story of a group of young people in China who wish to have their dreams fulfilled through art. This original idea we wrote for our SMG partners and adapted with them is being fully produced in Shanghai. The cast is Chinese and so are the locations. On the other hand, the production team is also Chinese but led by Argentine directors and producers – among others. The telenovela, which is currently under pre production, will have a first 40-episode season and a second 40-episode season is currently being written,” comments Wasserman. Heartbeats also features important social content and its mission is not only to entertain but also to educate and teach. The Shanghai Film Art Academy is involved in this task and a great deal of the story is told on its premises. “This might be one of the most challenging projects we have been involved in regarding the consolidation of the Eastern market. China had been a prospective market for many years and now it has become a reality. We are here to celebrate it,” declares Parra.