Key Points:
• China urges journalists from developing countries to report its development from diverse perspectives.
• About 100 journalists from 100 countries are taking part in a four month training programme in Beijing.
• Nigeria’s Mark Longyen calls for stronger African reporting on China and greater professional exchanges.
Main Story
China has called on journalists from the Global South to strengthen cross border reporting and provide their audiences with independent accounts of China and developments across developing countries.
The Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Hong Lei, made the call on Tuesday at the opening of a four month training programme for journalists in Beijing.
About 100 journalists from 100 countries are participating in the programme, organised by the China Public Diplomacy Association and the China International Press Communication Centre.
Hong said the centre, established in 2014, was created to help journalists from Global South countries gain a deeper understanding of China and strengthen exchanges between the country and international media.
He urged participants to examine China’s development closely and report on it from diverse perspectives, while also highlighting development experiences and cooperation among countries of the Global South.
Hong said China remained committed to working with developing countries to promote common development and address shared challenges.
He cited China’s development since the start of its Reform and Opening up policy, including the expansion of its highway and high speed rail networks and the lifting of about 800 million people out of poverty.
He also said China had made advances in healthcare, infrastructure, 5G, aerospace technology and artificial intelligence.
Tong Xiaoling, Vice President of the China Public Diplomacy Association, said international media engagement could help reduce stereotypes and improve understanding between countries.
She said journalists needed opportunities to observe developments directly and bring different perspectives into international reporting.
Prof Zhang Donggang, Secretary of the Communist Party of China Committee at Renmin University, said the institution had hosted the programme since 2014 and trained more than 700 media professionals from more than 100 countries.
He urged the participants to document China from international perspectives and contribute to greater understanding among different societies.
Speaking on behalf of the participants, Mr Mark Longyen, Editor at the News Agency of Nigeria and Nigeria’s representative, said the journalists were in China to examine its development achievements and challenges first hand.
Longyen highlighted the growing importance of China Africa relations, particularly in economic, technological and diplomatic areas.
He urged journalists from the Global South to play a greater role in shaping international narratives through reporting based on observation, investigation and verification.
The Issues
The programme places emphasis on increasing direct engagement between Chinese institutions and journalists from developing countries.
For participating journalists, the central challenge is to report on China and Global South cooperation while maintaining professional independence, verification and critical scrutiny.
The programme also reflects the growing importance of media exchanges in shaping public understanding of relations between China, Africa and other developing regions.
What’s Being Said
“I hope you will gain an intimate understanding of China’s history and dynamism, and present to the world a true, multidimensional and panoramic picture of China through objective coverage and diverse perspectives.” – Mr Hong Lei, China’s Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs
“Stereotypes ought to be replaced by on the ground observations.” – Ms Tong Xiaoling, Vice President, China Public Diplomacy Association
“As journalists, our job is not to repeat what we are told, but to observe, investigate, verify, and tell stories that help our audiences make sense of a changing world.” – Mr Mark Longyen, NAN Editor
What’s Next
The participating journalists will undergo the four month training programme in Beijing, with the programme continuing to provide opportunities for media exchanges between China and Global South countries.
Bottom Line
China is seeking deeper media engagement with journalists from the Global South as it promotes greater understanding of its development and South South cooperation. Nigerian journalist Mark Longyen also called for stronger African reporting on China based on independent observation and verification.
