Forum highlights journalists' role in Belt and Road cooperation

The 2026 Belt and Road Journalists Forum was held on Saturday in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, highlighting the contribution of journalists and media leaders worldwide to jointly building the Belt and Road and advancing international cooperation on global governance.

More than 100 journalists and media leaders from over 50 countries and regions attended the forum.

Mo Gaoyi, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the State Council Information Office, noted in his remarks that the Belt and Road Journalists Network has made significant contributions to advancing the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road.

The world is undergoing unprecedented changes, Mo said, and global media cooperation is becoming increasingly critical and urgently demanded to strengthen the connectivity between people, infrastructure, rules and standards.

He added that China's journalism community hopes to strengthen international communication and to tell Belt and Road stories together, through objective and truthful reporting that showcases the diversity of civilizations coexisting in harmony.

Mo also stressed the need to deepen practical cooperation on media transformation in the era of artificial intelligence, and to promote coordination with Global South nations so their stories are better heard on the global stage.

He Ping, president of the All-China Journalists Association and member of the presidium of the Belt and Road Journalists Network, pointed out that, facing the rise of unilateralism and protectionism, the global community is in greater need to uphold the Silk Road spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and benefit. With pens and cameras, He called for closer ties among global journalists to bridge different civilizations and people, contributing to the world's stability and vitality.

Participants at the forum agreed that journalists are the chroniclers, participants and promoters in jointly building the Belt and Road, which has now entered a new phase of development characterized by higher quality and higher standards.

They also reached consensus that media communities across nations should share Belt and Road stories through objective and truthful reporting, with focus on both major landmark projects and smaller heartwarming life stories.

"Global cooperation requires more than physical infrastructure, trade and economic partnerships. It also requires communication, cultural exchange and mutual trust. As journalists, we can build bridges between nations by sharing reliable information, respecting cultural differences and encouraging dialogue," said Puy Kea, president of the Club of Cambodian Journalists and rotating president of the presidium of the Belt and Road Journalists Network.

He added that, despite differences in their countries, cultures and political systems, journalists and media leaders are not merely observers of global changes. They help shape public understanding, promote transparency, and bring the voices of diverse communities to the international stage.

During the forum, the Global South Journalists Workshop Program was launched, with journalist organizations from 10 nations, including Chile, Cape Verde and Mongolia, receiving partnership certificates of the International Home of Journalists.