New Era, Shared Future: Representatives from media, think tanks discuss open world community

World
Europe

02:51

The first ever China International Import Expo is officially underway. After the opening ceremony on Monday morning, about 600 world media and think tank experts gathered at a sub-forum to discuss their takes what the event means for a more open global economy. Yang Chengxi has more.

YANG CHENGXI SHANGHAI "The China International Import Expo is not only a big event for companies. It's also being closely watched by the global media and think tanks worldwide."

Experts from both sectors are discussing building and communicating an open world economy. That's theme of the day.

HUANG KUNMING, MINISTER PUBLICITY DEPT. OF CPCCC "I hope the media and think tanks around the world can stand taller and look further, and communicate to citizens a sense of openness and reciprocity between countries. I hope they can promote the idea that the interest of one country is deeply tied to the interest of other countries."

Media professionals say it's now more important than ever for countries like China to make their voices heard in the global conversation, especially on the topics of globalization and trade, which they say are often misunderstood by many.

ALEXEY NIKOLOV, MANAGING EDITOR RUSSIA TODAY "We are in the business of trying to cover facts in as full and objective manner as possible. Starting from news that you get once a day with the newspaper, to today's information world where you get a bit of news pretty much every second, I think it was interesting how amazingly fast China has covered this way and now being pretty much on the forefront."

This media and think tank forum, as well as the bigger CIIE are held at a time when China is sending signals of openness in a world economy facing threats of a trade war.

DAVID MONYAE, CO-DIRECTOR UNIV. OF JOHANNESBURG CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE "Unless countries come together, cooperate, open up, and avoid trade wars, the era we are in is quite a terrible era. Therefore China is among the few countries that are playing a positive role to open up the global economy."

Think tank experts here are coming up with concrete research to strongly back China's effort to boost import. A senior economist from professional services firm PwC said the China International Import Expo will be a huge business opportunity for business worldwide that want to sell to China.

ZHAO GUANGBIN, SENIOR ECONOMIST PWC "In the next few years, it might create new imports of up to 300 to 500 billion US dollars every year."

YANG CHENGXI SHANGHAI "The key word here today is communicating, the idea that media professionals and think tank researchers should promote the belief in shared prosperity worldwide."