Media forum highlights exchanges, mutual learning

Media organizations in countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative will work together to carry forward the spirit of the Silk Road, cement Silk Road friendship, and fulfill the responsibility of contributing to the BRI's high-quality development, media representatives said.

Representatives from more than 200 media outlets in over 70 countries and regions involved in the BRI shared insights under the theme "Enhance Media Cooperation for Common Development" at the 2024 Media Cooperation Forum on Belt and Road, which kicked off on Wednesday in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province.

Jointly hosted by People's Daily, the Communist Party of China Sichuan Provincial Committee and the Sichuan provincial government, the two-day forum focuses on the role of media in fostering consensus and gathering collective strengths to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

Sarmad Ali, managing director of Pakistan's Jang Media Group, said that cooperation among media organizations is not only beneficial, but also essential.

Ali said that in regions where media resources are limited, partnerships with larger, more established organizations can provide the support needed to produce quality journalism. He said that Jang Media Group has partnered with global media outlets, including China Daily, to bring authentic stories to Pakistani readers.

He called on the media to foster partnerships that transcend borders, to share knowledge that empowers, and to tell stories that inspire.

"Together, we can harness the power of media to not only reflect the world as it is but to shape it into what it can be — a community with a shared future for mankind," Ali said.

David Bencsik, executive editor-in-chief of Hungary's Magyar Demokrata Media Group, said, "We have arrived in a multi-centered world order, and one of the pillars of this new world order is the People's Republic of China." He added that he would like to thank China for the steps it is taking to build peace, stability and friendship in Europe and the world.

Bencsik said his media group is open to expanding media and communication cooperation in Central Europe, and he believes that as an authentic and opinion-leading channel that reaches large audiences, it can effectively support Sino-European and East-West dialogue, as well as mutual knowledge and understanding.

As a highlight of the forum, the Belt and Road Media Cooperation: Chengdu Initiative was released at the opening ceremony.

"As the BRI enters a new stage of high-quality development, the role of media cooperation in cultural exchange and mutual learning should be further utilized," the initiative said.

It proposed to harness the collective power of the media to effectively tell BRI stories about common development and mutual benefit, about deepening regional cooperation and improving global governance, and about facilitating mutual learning among civilizations and increasing people-to-people exchanges.

Since the BRI was proposed more than a decade ago, infrastructure connectivity has advanced, the synergy of rules has made progress, and the bonds among people in the countries involved have been strengthened.

Contact the writers at pengchao@chinadaily.com.cn