China Brings Together 71 Participants from 16 Countries for Belt and Road Media Cooperation Seminar

By Simon Deng

China has brought together 71 government officials, media practitioners and technical professionals from 16 countries for a two-week international seminar in Beijing aimed at strengthening media capacity, promoting digital communication and expanding cooperation among countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.

The seminar, which includes participants from South Sudan and other countries across Africa, Asia and Central America, focuses on improving international communication effectiveness, strengthening media platform operations and enhancing content production amid rapid changes in the global digital media landscape.

Zhou Jihong, the Director General of the International Cooperation Communication Department for the National Radio and Television Administration of China, emphasized the transformative impact of digital technology on the information landscape worldwide.

“Currently, digital technologies are fundamentally reshaping communication. New content formats, such as short videos and micro-dramas, are thriving, along with emerging technologies like artificial intelligence,” Jihong stated during the seminar’s opening last week in Beijing.

She noted that China has engaged in practical cooperation involving program exchanges, co-productions, and personnel exchanges, fostering deep friendships with partner countries.

“Online media has become an essential platform for people across nations to access information and enhance mutual understanding, creating new avenues for international cooperation,” she added.

The seminar gathered participants from diverse regions, including South Sudan, Lesotho, Ghana, El Salvador, and the Philippines, united by a shared commitment to advancing media development and international communication cooperation. This collaboration represents not only the integration of resources but also a convergence of ideas.

Jihong explained that the seminar is centered on enhancing communication effectiveness, media platform operation, and content production.

“All media professionals will gain a deeper understanding of China’s radio, television, and audiovisual sectors, further strengthen friendships, share experiences, and actively seek out more opportunities for exchanges and cooperation,” she said.

Huang Tao, Deputy General Manager of China Broadcasting International Economic and Technical Cooperation (CBIC), highlighted that the seminar aims to provide practical and cutting-edge training experiences while delivering quality services.

“We share common goals and visions in advancing the Belt and Road Initiative and developing the radio, television, and audiovisual sectors. Ultra-high definition technology is powering the entire content production and distribution chain,” Tao remarked.

“China is committed to fostering people-to-people exchanges and nation-building, consistently striving to create a professional platform for mutual learning, resource sharing, and practical cooperation among media organizations worldwide,” he added.

The seminar seeks to enhance international communication capacity and develop online media operations, creating a platform for media exchanges, experience sharing, and practical cooperation between China and Belt and Road Initiative countries.

China’s partnerships with media organizations across Africa, the Middle East, Central America, and the Caribbean include well-structured policies on content sharing, infrastructural development, and media exchange.