The media can play a vital role in promoting China's 'One Belt One Road (OBOR)' initiative aimed at strengthening relations among the neighbouring countries, especially South and West Asian states, said Hu Bangsheng, vice-president of China Radio International (CRI).
Modern informative media is important for development, as the media can foster friendship and play the role of a messenger in disseminating information, he said in a view-exchange meeting with a visiting Bangladesh media delegation at his office on Friday.
The media team arrived in Beijing on October 26. "We want to inform the world about OBOR through the media in a better way," said the CRI official.
In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the 'One Belt One Road (OBOR)' initiative aiming to connect Eurasian economies through infrastructure, trade and investment. It has two international trade connections -- the land-based 'Silk road economic belt' and the oceangoing 'Maritime silk road'.
Mr Bangsheng said China and Bangladesh are developing countries and that the CRI promotes the developing countries.
CRI, a multimedia platform combining radio, television, online and social networking sites, was established on December 03, 1941.
Director of CRI Bangla Department Yu Guangyue said many people think that OBOR is only related to economic activities. But culture is an important engine of economic development and the media has a role in this regard, she added.
Terming 2017 a year of friendship and exchange, she said there is scope to enhance cooperation through OBOR.
To further strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries, CRI will open a branch office in Dhaka in a couple of months, which can arrange joint programmes to promote development activities of both the countries, vice-president Bangsheng said.
There are 45 departments in CRI and it gives priority to Bangla language, he said, adding that a festival is scheduled to be held in Dhaka next month, which would help formulate development strategy and draw up joint programmes, among others, to promote OBOR, he added.
After the meeting with the CRI officials, the delegation visited Beijing City Planning Exhibition Hall.
Students of Beijing University presented a Bengali cultural programme on its premises. Later, a view exchange meeting was also held where the participants discussed ways to promote Bengali culture in China.
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