China Hosts 2025 Belt and Road Media Cooperation Forum with Over 200 Global Representatives

Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province in southwest China, has welcomed more than 200 representatives from 165 media outlets across 87 countries for the 2025 Belt and Road Media Cooperation Forum. Organized by People’s Daily, the CPC Yunnan Provincial Committee, and the Yunnan Provincial Government, the forum has become a major international platform for strengthening media cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) launched by President Xi Jinping in 2013.

This year’s forum is themed “Shared Media Responsibility for Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Civilizations.” During the opening ceremony, Mr. Zheng Jianbang, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Mr. Wang Ning, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Yunnan Provincial People’s Congress, and Mr. Yu Shaoliang, President of People’s Daily, highlighted the importance of media in connecting people, nations, and cultures.

Mr. Khaled Al-Barhali, Moroccan newspaper "As-Sahifa"

They stressed that while the Silk Road connects land and sea, the media connects voices and hearts, together fostering prosperity and win-win cooperation. Speakers urged global media outlets to act as storytellers and recorders of development achievements, to highlight the practices of Belt and Road cooperation, and to generate greater momentum for mutual benefit.

Mrs. Amal Zamouri, Algerian newspaper "El Moudjahid"

Since its launch in 2014, the forum has been held nine times, attracting over 1,000 participants from media organizations and international bodies across more than 100 countries and regions. These gatherings have helped to build a broad consensus for advancing high-quality BRI cooperation and turning the initiative into a widely recognized international public good.

Mr. Hazem Samir, Egyptian newspaper "Al-Gomhuria"

On the second day, panel discussions shed light on the challenges facing journalists in cross-cultural collaboration. Patricia Lubba of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) spoke about trust gaps, cultural differences, and technological challenges, while Ben Chacko, Editor-in-Chief of Morning Star (UK), noted that Western skepticism over China’s growing influence and fears of developing countries’ indebtedness have contributed to limited coverage of BRI’s positive impact in Western media.

Honoring Bahraini artist Abdul Rasool Al-Hujairi

A highlight of the forum was the Second Silk Road Global News Awards, where Nigerian journalists Lawal Sale and Austin Maho, alongside Bahraini artist Abdul Rasool Al-Hujairi, were honored for their outstanding contributions to media and cultural exchange in the context of Belt and Road cooperation.

Following the forum, Chinese and international media representatives will embark on field visits across several provinces and autonomous regions to witness development projects and infrastructure initiatives under the BRI, further deepening cultural and professional exchanges.

(Special thanks to the great artist Abdul Rasoul Al-Hajri for the photos)