Asian Media Leaders Roundtable at Boao highlights the Belt and Road Initiative

Over 20 media leaders from 15 countries share their experience and promote the voice of Asia, as well as invigorate the media and work together to create a new media landscape during the Boao Forum for Asia annual conference in Boao, Hainan province on Thursday, March 23, 2017. [Photo: China Plus]

Media outlets across Asia have held a roundtable at this year's Boao Forum for Asia in Hainan.

The Roundtable invited over 20 media leaders from countries along the "Belt and Road" to discuss the new prospects for Asian media cooperation.

Over 20 media leaders from 15 countries have joined the proposed 'Asian Media Cooperation Organization' at this year's Boao Forum for Asia in South China's Hainan Province. 

Director-General of China Radio International, Chairman of the Roundtable Wang Gengnian points out that even though Asia has already become a highland of the world economic development, its international voice is far from strong enough.

"Asian economic integration has provided various platforms for Asian media cooperation, as the steady growth of the Asian economy is also asking for stronger media power. The Asian Media companies should work together to share their experiences and recount the stories of Asia, and make the Asian voice heard in the international community."

Kem GUNAWADH is the Director General of The National Television of Cambodia. He says one of the main challenges for Asian media cooperation is a lack of an overall coordination management mechanism.

"Just as in external publicity works, some media companies are used to the method of 'communication', while others favor the idea of 'promotion'. In either case, in order to gain public acceptance and respect, a media company needs to improve its public trust and influence. Therefore a media cooperation organization is needed to discuss certain principles to regulating the journalism."

Co-sponsored by Boao Forum, China Radio International and China Public Diplomacy Association, the "Asian Media Cooperation Organization" is based on the Silk Road Initiative passed during the 2015 Boao Forum for Asia. 

As the 4th annual roundtable discussion, this year's event has reached consensus on several dimensions such as the charter, service scope, operation model, and funding sources of the "Asian Media Cooperation Organization", as well as discussing ways the Chinese government's 'Belt and Road' initiative can affect media coverage in the region.

Proposed by Chinese president Xi Jinping in 2013, more than 100 countries and international organizations have signaled their intention to be involved in the "Belt and Road" initiative.

As this year's theme for Boao forum for Asia is "Globalization & Free Trade: Asian Perspectives", the former prime minister of New Zealand Jennifer Mary Shipley says the "Belt and Road" Initiative has contributed to public confidence in globalization through media interpretations.

"As a former leader, but also as a person who is deeply excited but deeply concerned about how we make globalization something to be proud of and excited by, rather than to fear. And the media worldwide has a critical role. It's knowable for us to believe that "One Belt and One Road" strategy offer an inclusion and commitment, with the world media explain, and then inspire the listeners and observers of those possibilities."

10 organizations including media from Brazil, Russia and Thailand have become the second group to join the media cooperation organization.