Chinese experts urge BRI media reporting with national perspectives
FUZHOU: CHINESE experts have urged journalists from countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to report on the programme from national development perspectives, highlighting its contribution to economic transformation, poverty reduction and people-to-people cooperation.
They said media organisations should go beyond reporting high-level agreements and infrastructure projects to examine how the initiative addresses the development priorities and aspirations of participating countries.
Vice-Chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Ms Xian Hui, said the media had an important responsibility to engage the public in dialogue to promote mutual understanding and build shared aspirations among BRI partner countries.
She said journalists should use their platforms to advocate peace and security, strengthen people-to-people connections and promote friendship and cooperation among participating nations.
Ms Xian also emphasised the importance of aligning BRI coverage with national development priorities, noting that media organisations should help audiences understand how the initiative relates to their countries’ development agendas.
Her remarks were made on Tuesday in Fuzhou, China, during the opening ceremony of the 2026 Media Cooperation Forum on Belt and Road, which brought together more than 325 media representatives from over 20 countries.
The forum seeks to strengthen understanding of the BRI among editors and journalists, while promoting closer cooperation and a common understanding among participating countries.
Executive Deputy Head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Mr Hu Heping, said the media played a vital role in promoting the initiative and strengthening connections among people across participating countries.
He urged journalists to communicate policy alignment with the BRI from the perspective of their respective national development strategies.
Mr Hu said reporting should also demonstrate the initiative’s contribution to poverty reduction and improvements in people’s livelihoods in participating countries.
He challenged media practitioners to use quality journalism to empower communities, promote cultural exchanges and open new avenues for people-to-people cooperation.
“Empower people through better journalism. Open a new chapter of cultural cooperation and people-to-people cooperation,” he said.
President of the People’s Daily of China, Mr Yu Shaoliang, said the forum provided an important opportunity for media organisations to document achievements recorded under the BRI and share experiences among participating countries.
He encouraged journalists to develop stories that reflect local realities and perspectives, arguing that reporting should capture how the initiative is being implemented and the benefits it brings to communities.
The speakers underscored the need for responsible and development-focused journalism that connects the BRI’s broader objectives with the everyday experiences of people in participating countries.
The forum provides a platform for media professionals to exchange ideas, strengthen professional cooperation and explore ways of improving coverage of the initiative, which seeks to promote connectivity, trade, investment and development cooperation among partner countries.
