China's rapid socio-economic development is bringing it closer to the forefront of the global stage, experts said during a forum held in Beijing on Thursday. 

"Diverse civilizations around the world possess unique characteristics, and one is not inherently superior or inferior to another," said Zhou Qing’an, professor and dean at the School of Journalism and Communications at Tsinghua University. 

"China's five thousand years of civilization represents just one of the many distinct forms of civilization worldwide," he said during a conference focusing on improving global communication skills, hosted by China News Service on September 21.

Zhou noted that while there are differences among various civilizations, there have also been connections between diverse cultures during the same historical periods.

For example, consider the Silk Road – an ancient trade route that connected China with the Western world. This historic pathway facilitated the exchange of goods and ideas between two great civilizations, Rome and China. Chinese silk traveled westward, while valuable commodities like wool, gold, and silver made their way east.

For over 1,500 years, the ancient Silk Road played a crucial role in facilitating the exchange of goods and ideas among different cultures as traders from diverse civilizations embarked on journeys along this historic route.

Aside from the historical perspective, countries can identify shared interests in today's interconnected world, noted Zhou. They can collaborate to address common development challenges, including urgent issues like global warming, volatile food prices and the reduction of extreme poverty.

China's poverty alleviation efforts, as portrayed in Chinese media, align with the World Bank's concept of reducing extreme poverty, Zhou said. In certain international organizations, it is framed as safeguarding the rights of low-income individuals. Despite the differences in narratives, the core problem addressed remains the same, he said. 

Presenting China's stories with a global perspective is very important in international communication, said Justyna Szpakowska, a producer and media planner from Poland.

Reflecting on her initial visit to China at the age of 16, she recalls being pleasantly surprised by the bustling streets and the sheer number of people.

The internet and social media have transformed information sharing, turning everyone into prosumers who consume and produce news, said Li Qin, director of the National Communication Strategy Research Center at the Renmin University of China.