Media to play more positive role in boosting China-India ties

Chinese and Indian media should expand new channels of communication and collaboration to encourage trust and reduce suspicions, a Chinese official said at the 2nd China-India Media Forum held in Beijing on Sunday.

Jiang Jianguo, director of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) of China, said at the opening ceremony of the forum that Indian and Chinese media organizations should increase the exchanges of journalists, articles, and story ideas as well as carrying out more joint interview and opening more youth exchange programs for media talents.

"Media organizations of the two countries should not simply appeal to nationalist sentiment or hype those eye-catching negative topics." Jiang said. "Instead, they should keep in mind the mainstream direction of China-India ties, which is characterized by friendly cooperation, accurate and objective reporting while reducing misunderstandings and suspicions."

China-India relations have seen overall development in recent years. In addition to growing economic ties in collaboration of railway projects and industrial parks, considerable progress was also made in establishing and expanding defence contacts and exchanges, including across the border, said Sushma Swaraj, Indian External Affairs Minister, during her speech at the opening ceremony of forum.

Swaraj said she expect to strengthen people-to-people contacts, including contacts between scholars and journalists of the two countries, as a result of the increasingly closer link between India and China.

This year marks the Visit India Year in China while the year of 2016 will be the Visit China Year in India. More tourists from the two countries are expected to visit each other.

"This is the most appropriate opportunity to boost our ties" , Swaraj said.

She also proposed a six-point "ABCDEF" template to build bilateral relationship and realize the dream of an "Asian Century" , namely A-Action-oriented approach, B-Broad-base bilateral engagement, C-Convergence on common regional and global interests, D-Develop new areas of cooperation, E-Expand strategic communication, and F-Fulfill common aspiration to usher "Asian Century."

The forum, jointly hosted by the SCIO of China and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India, attracted more than 120 participants, including delegates from some 40 leading Chinese and Indian media organizations as well as scholars and government officials from both countries.

Delegates discussed the role media plays in promoting bilateral strategic partnership, boosting economic cooperation, as well as the potential of cooperation in new media.

They agreed that media in the two countries bears social and historical responsibilities. Thus, instead of hyping border conflicts and "zero-sum" game between two emerging economies, news organizations in the two countries should enhance direct communication and mutual understanding so as to promote win-win cooperation.

As a platform to encourage face-to-face dialogue between media organizations of the two countries and build understanding of each others' societies, the first forum was held in New Delhi, India, in September 2013.