Media officials call for objective reporting on Silk Road initiative

People from Eurasian countries are eager to learn about China's moves to build the Silk Road Economic Belt, and meeting that demand requires more objective media coverage, both within and outside of China.

Eurasian media representatives made this assertion on Sunday during a forum in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

Kyrgyz people know about President Xi Jinping's proposal to build the Silk Road Economic Belt, which aims to revitalize the ancient Silk Road by deepening mutually beneficial cooperation among Central Asian countries, but they know little about the plan's mechanism and agenda, said Kubanychbek Taabaldiev, director of Kyrgyzstan's Kabar National News Agency.

Forum participants also discussed the responsibilities and opportunities of news media in countries along the Silk Road.

Taabaldiev said that without sufficient information, people in Kyrgyzstan won't know how to get involved and take full advantage of the Silk Road Economic Belt.

He proposed that Eurasian countries jointly set up a special press office to provide updates about the latest project developments.

The media need to be objective because biased reports could damage the countries' relationships, said Arastun Mehdiyev, deputy chief of the Azerbaijani administration's department for socio-political affairs.

The Azerbaijani media have made a priority of China coverage, and people have learned about different aspects of China in recent years, he said.

Mehdiyev added that Azerbaijan actually raised the idea of reviving the Silk Road in 1998, so it fully supports Xi's proposal.

Cui Yuying, deputy director of the information office of the State Council, said the foundation of the Silk Road Economic Belt will help people from different countries learn more about each other, and media - especially new media - could be seen as the messengers.

Gao Anming, deputy editor in chief of China Daily, said that media cooperation among Eurasian countries requires the support of their governments, and it is also necessary to establish an association to boost media cooperation and information sharing.

cuijia@chinadaily.com.cn