Name: Hu Bangsheng, Vice President, China Radio International

Title: The Media's Role and Challenges in Building the Belt and Road Initiative

Abstract

In the last three years, media communication among the countries along the Belt and Road routes has not been smooth enough, and the cooperation among us has not been close enough. Sometimes we have to rely on a third party to get information about each other. And that information is often incomplete or even untrue. Therefore, it is urgent for media in China and countries along the proposed routes to understand the challenges that it faces in the execution of the Belt and Road Initiative.

At present, I think there are five major challenges:

1. Challenge of civilization diversity.

2. Challenge of regime difference.

3. Challenge with the rise of nationalism current.

4. Challenge posed by politicalization of economic issues.

5. Challenge resulting from deliberately discrediting by the third-party media.

In the course of the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, we the media are faced with difficulties and challenges. I believe we can respond positively in the following five aspects:

Firstly, in terms of communication philosophy, different countries should listen to each other. Instead of one-way communication with stress given to the subject only, there should be more two-way communication between countries.

Secondly, regarding communication mechanism, we should put emphasis on cooperative communication. Shared platforms should be established among media groups from different countries, and there should be strengthened cooperation in terms of personnel exchange, information collection, and news distribution so as to get our common voice heard.

Thirdly, when it comes to contents, we should follow the principle of the Belt and Road Initiative. Specifically, we should focus on practical news and avoid void news, reporting more on the development of trade and construction of infrastructure and other economic information, particularly that about the livelihood of the people. We should not be affected by the politicalized interpretation by some Western media.

Fourthly, in the aspect of communication management, we should understand the

strengths of social media, which are characterized by global reach and realtime reach, and try our best to show the world our achievements in the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Fifthly, in terms of communication pattern, we should push forward the establishment of an international communication order that is fair, objective and balanced.

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)