Leaders of 27 media outlets from BRICS countries vowed to strengthen cooperation at the second BRICS Media Forum on Thursday, when participants signed the declaration "the Action Plan to Strengthen Cooperation Among BRICS Media" to promote mutually beneficial ties.

BRICS countries are an interconnected community sharing a common destiny as well as common interests, said Liu Qibao, head of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Liu pointed out that BRICS nations are facing a challenging external environment as well as misunderstanding about their development goals. Under these circumstances, he urged media outlets to work together, creating a positive image for the BRICS.

“Media cooperation is an important component of the BRICS mechanism. As we begin the second 10-year span of BRICS cooperation, we should take this opportunity to enhance exchanges and foster trust, working together to build a brilliant future for BRICS countries,” Liu said.

In fact, the explosive growth of digital media has changed the landscape of communication. It’s both a challenge as well as an opportunity for BRICS countries to expand their influence all over the world.

According to Vladimir Kazbekov, vice president of the BRICS New Development Bank, it’s more important than ever to uphold traditional journalistic values, such as trying their best to represent balanced perspectives and ensure accuracy as well as fairness in the report.

Media leaders also issued an action plan during the summit, pledging to enhance their global presence through pragmatic cooperation in several areas, including conducting joint interviews on major topics, promoting cooperation in information services, conducting professional training, and establishing human resource and think tank exchanges.

Considered as carriers of information and ambassadors for cultural exchanges, media outlets have been playing a big role in enhancing understanding among BRICS countries.