2025 Media Cooperation Forum Discusses Belt and Road in China + Photos
The 2025 Media Cooperation Forum on the belt and Road opened today in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China. The event welcomed participants including policymakers, media professionals, entrepreneurs, and scholars.
Hosted by People’s Daily with support from the Yunnan provincial government,the forum focused on “The Shared Responsibility of Media for exchanges and Mutual Learning among Civilizations.”
Wang Yubo,deputy secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Committee and governor of Yunnan Province,delivered a keynote speech emphasizing President Xi Jinping’s recognition of the vital role media play in advancing the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
He stated that “media have an irreplaceable role in disseminating data, building mutual trust, creating consensus,” among other aspects.
Chen Jianwen,editor-in-chief of People’s Daily,also spoke at the event.He described the forum as a platform that enables international media organizations to collaborate closely. Chen highlighted how it facilitates sharing topics related to the silk Road while promoting common benefits and strengthening cultural exchange along the Belt and Road corridors.
He introduced Yunnan as “China’s gateway to South and Southeast Asia,” describing it as a hub of cultural diversity and economic openness.Drawing comparisons between the thousand-year-old Tea Horse road trade route and today’s modern BRI projects he portrayed this region as a convergence point for history and contemporary development.
The forum serves as an advanced framework that brings together policymakers, media specialists, entrepreneurs-and researchers-to discuss critical subjects such as media roles amid rapidly changing international environments. Participants also explored opportunities and challenges presented by artificial intelligence innovation alongside regional cooperation dynamics.
Aligned with Belt and Road objectives,the event aims to deepen intercultural understanding while enhancing cooperation among global media outlets. It underlines BRI’s contribution to worldwide development by providing a venue where stakeholders share best practices worldwide. This gathering is becoming a key node for fostering dialog while showcasing positive impacts arising from Belt-and-road collaboration.
