Media go for mutual trust, consensus for shared future

Since the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was proposed a decade ago, the media has strengthened people-to-people bonds worldwide.

At the 3rd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, Chinese president Xi Jinping announced eight major steps China will take to support the joint pursuit of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

It is mentioned in the announcement that China will work with its BRI partner countries to strengthen the building of multilateral cooperation platforms covering energy, taxation, finance, green development, disaster reduction, anti-corruption, think tank, media, culture and other fields.

At the 5th World Media Summit (Yunnan, China) and the 2nd Yunnan International Communication Forum on December 5, global forum participants discussed on media’s role in building the next golden decade of the BRI.

Khan Sophirom, deputy director general of Agence Kampuchea Presse, believed the newly-opened Angkor International Airport in Siem Reap is a major channel for Cambodia to increase exchanges with China, Yunnan in particular. The media of both sides should seize the opportunity and push ahead for more cooperation in facility connectivity and people-to-people bonds.

Ambagahawattage Harendra Nishantha Kariyawasam, chairman and managing director of The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd, said Sri Lanka and China produced many stories of cooperation along the Maritime Silk Road.

Under the BRI, Sri Lanka and China have seen increasing exchanges and cooperation in economy, trade, investment, infrastructure construction, culture and others, and in the future the media will play a bigger role in bilateral exchanges and cooperation.

Masud Jamil Khan, deputy managing director of the Bangladeshi Cosmos Group, has visited Yunnan multiple times, and he was deeply impressed by local flowers and climate.

"This media summit gave me a chance to know Yunnan better." Khan said Cosmos Group has cooperated with Xinhua News Agency, and he expected to have more opportunities for mutual learning and cooperation with Yunnan media.

Tao Deyan, editor-in-chief of Cankao Xiaoxi/Reference News, recalled he had told the stories of Zheng He, a Yunnan-born navigator, to reporters from Malaysia, France and other countries, and all agreed that Zheng was an envoy of friendship. "The media should play a Zheng-like role on the new voyage."

Tao said that today's world is at a new crossroads, and the future of all countries are closely linked. It’s more than necessary for global journalists to stick to professionalism, boosting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations through impartial coverage, unique perspective and keen observation.

By YICC reporters