Emirates News Agency participates in Beijing’s Belt and Road media forum, emphasising journalism’s role in global cooperation

WAM joins media leaders and political figures in Fuzhou to explore how journalism strengthens cultural exchange and economic partnership across the Belt and Road Initiative

The 2026 Media Cooperation Forum on Belt and Road convened this week in Fuzhou, in China’s Fujian Province, drawing together media organisations and political leaders from across the globe. The Emirates News Agency participated in the gathering, jointly organised by People’s Daily and the People’s Government of Fujian Province, to examine journalism’s essential contribution to fostering international understanding and economic development.

The forum addressed the strategic importance of media cooperation among nations engaged in the Belt and Road Initiative. Speakers underscored how journalism serves as a bridge between cultures and markets, facilitating the exchange of development experiences and strengthening ties between peoples. Xian Hui, Vice Chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, noted in her opening address that Fujian Province holds historic significance as a starting point of the Maritime Silk Road, and emphasised the pivotal role media organisations play in deepening international cooperation and mutual understanding.

Yu Shaoliang, President of People’s Daily, spoke of the importance of strengthening partnerships among media organisations across Belt and Road participating countries. He outlined how the forum provides a platform for dialogue and practical collaboration, enabling the expansion of news material exchanges, joint content production, research cooperation, and professional training. Through these multifaceted initiatives, he explained, media organisations contribute to quality reporting that reflects the shared development of the Belt and Road Initiative.

The discussions reflected themes central to contemporary international media practice. Keynote addresses focused on bridging cultural and economic divides through the exchange of content and technical expertise, with speakers emphasising the value of local expression informed by a global perspective. Participants also stressed the importance of addressing media challenges through rational, objective approaches while conveying societies’ aspirations for shared prosperity and a more stable, integrated future.

As the UAE continues to strengthen its media partnerships regionally and internationally, as we reported in our coverage of the UAE’s unified Gulf media strategy initiative, participation in forums such as this reinforces the Emirates’ commitment to dialogue and cooperation on the global stage.

What it means for Abu Dhabi

The forum demonstrates the growing importance of media organisations as instruments of soft diplomacy and international engagement. The Emirates News Agency’s participation reflects the UAE’s broader commitment to fostering dialogue, understanding and partnership with nations across multiple continents, particularly through the frameworks of the Belt and Road Initiative.

For Abu Dhabi and the UAE more broadly, such engagements underscore the value of journalism in advancing shared development goals and economic cooperation. The emphasis on professional training, content exchange and technical cooperation aligns with the UAE’s vision of positioning itself as a hub for media innovation and cross cultural communication in the region and beyond.

Source: WAM