CPEC Media Forum vows to counter disinformation collectively

ISLAMABAD: The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Media Forum vows to counter disinformation collectively. Pakistan-China Institute, in collaboration with China Economic Net and Embassy of People’s Republic of China, organised 8th CPEC Media Forum in Islamabad.

The forum was also virtually telecast in Beijing and University of Gwadar. The forum featured insightful speeches by Murtaza Solangi, Caretaker Minister of Information and Broadcasting; Jiang Zaidong, Ambassador of People’s Republic of China to Pakistan; Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, Chairman Senate Committee on Defence & Pakistan-China Institute; Zheng Qingdong, President and Editor in chief of Economic Daily; Cui Jun, President of China Economic Net; Wu Xu, Executive Secretary of China Journalists Association; Ambassador Khalil Hashmi, Ambassador of Pakistan to China; Hamid Mir, Senior Journalist; Shiffa Yusufzai, Anchor at 92 NewsHD.

In his keynote speech, Murtaza Solangi emphasised the transformative impact of the CPEC during the auspicious year of 2023. He appreciated the vital role of the media in shaping public perceptions of CPEC, urging objective reporting to counter propaganda and ensure accurate dissemination of information. Solangi highlighted CPEC’s role in addressing Pakistan’s socio-economic challenges, generating jobs, and significantly contributing to economic growth. He emphasised the need for accurate journalism to counter the fake news and called for unity in recognizing CPEC as a ‘transformative force that has reshaped the nation and provided hope for a brighter, more prosperous Pakistan’.

Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed characterised the Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) as the paramount developmental and diplomatic initiative of the 21st century. Drawing attention to the substantial investment made by China, exceeding $1 trillion, across 3000 BRI projects globally, which has positively impacted over 40 million people by lifting them from poverty. Mushahid expressed optimism by asserting that the ‘best of CPEC is yet to come as CPEC is back on track now’ with focus Gwadar Port development, ML1 Railway project, revival of Special Economic Zones and major developments on agriculture.

Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong expressed his appreciation for the forum as a preeminent platform dedicated to promoting media cooperation & dispelling misinformation concerning the CPEC. He said ‘some forces deliberately spread disinformation on BRI & CPEC’. Jiang Zaidong highlighted the consistent progress of China’s economy and its notable advancements in innovation. He reiterated China’s commitment to supporting Pakistan in safeguarding its core interests.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi reiterated Pakistan’s steadfast commitment to the high-quality development of the CPEC during his address. He emphasised Pakistan’s readiness to strengthen cooperation with China and highlighted the enduring diplomatic and economic ties, focusing on people-to-people connectivity.

During his address, Hamid Mir emphasised the imperative requirement for proactive involvement from both China and Pakistan in the region of Balochistan, asserting that the destiny of the CPEC is intricately linked to the developments in Balochistan. Additionally, he advocated for the actualization of the complete potential of CPEC, a consensus reached a decade ago, underscoring the significance of timely and comprehensive implementation.

President and Editor-in-chief of Economic Daily Zheng Qingdong highlighted the significance of the tenth anniversary of the “CPEC” initiation, emphasising its role in strengthening the enduring friendship between the two nations. Acknowledging the challenges of the global landscape, he urged joint efforts to embrace development opportunities and promote unity.

Executive Secretary of the China Journalists Association Wu Xu emphasised that the ten-year collaboration between China and Pakistan in safeguarding the corridor has yielded remarkable results in infrastructure, energy, agriculture, and more.

Deputy Director, International Department, Guangming Daily Yu Xiaokui expressed optimism highlighting the corridor’s decade-long success and its crucial role in strengthening China-Pakistan friendship.

Director of China Media Group Islamabad Studio Du Jianing urged collaboration to combat misinformation around the CPEC and contribute to its quality development. He emphasized media cooperation, transparency, and accurate information dissemination, particularly through social media, to enhance credibility and influence.

In his inaugural address, Executive Director of the Pakistan-China Institute (PCI) Mustafa Hyder Sayed underscored the enduring consistency of the CPEC Media Forum since its initiation in 2015 as an annual gathering alternating between China and Pakistan. Emphasising that the scope of CPEC Cooperation extends beyond ‘brick and mortar’ infrastructure projects to encompass people-to-people connectivity, he asserted that the people of China and Pakistan serve as the true custodians of this profound friendship. Furthermore, he regarded President Xi Jinping’s announcement of a $100 billion investment in the green development of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries as historic.

President China Economic Net Cui Jun read the congratulatory communication from Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, Sun Weidong, pertaining to the eighth CPEC Media Forum. In the conveyed message, Vice Minister Sun Weidong expressed sincere felicitations to the participants for the successful execution of the forum.

Mustafa Hyder Syed launched a new ‘CPEC Media Forum Balochistan Initiative’ and presented a joint statement of the forum. The joint statement expressed gratitude for the decade-long collaborative efforts in advancing the CPEC, highlighting achievements in energy, infrastructure, and socio-economic development, especially inculcating hope, confidence and faith in the future among Pakistanis.

The forum underscored the importance of combating misinformation, sustaining cooperation, and leveraging technology, emphasizing inclusive and transparent development for societal benefit. Muhammad Umar Farooq, Research Associate at the Pakistan-China Institute, delivered a comprehensive presentation elucidating the historical trajectory of misinformation pertaining to the CPEC over the past decade.

During the forum, 8 prominent journalists were also awarded ‘5th CPEC Communication Award’. They included Imran Khalid, freelance journalist; Nasir Jamal, Bureau Chief of Dawn Newspaper; Yasir Habib Khan, freelance journalist; Usman Mujib Shami, Executive Director of Daily Pakistan; Zia ul Amin, Journalist at APP Urdu; Tanveer Hashmi, Senior Reporter Daily Jang, Muhammad Zamir Assadi, Editor INP; and Fawad Yusufzai, journalist at The Nation. Around 200+ participants consisting of students from University of Gwadar, media, civil society, parliament, and academia participated in the forum. The forum also featured an insightful questions & answers session.