Basildon Peta
Media executives from around the world have hailed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) — through which China has been funding key infrastructure projects globally — as a better alternative to programmes by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, which are often too prescriptive and do not always work in the interests of recipient countries.
For instance, in the 1980s and 1990s, the IMF forced many African countries to embark on Economic Structural Adjustment Programmes (ESAPs), which saw massive reductions in funding for social services. Schools and hospitals lost support, unemployment soared, and the poor were left even more vulnerable. Social safety nets were stripped away in the name of “fiscal discipline,” but the long-term effect was increased poverty and widespread inequality.
By contrast, the BRI — launched by President Xi 12 years ago — has taken a different path. Its key focus is on funding long-term infrastructure such as railways, ports, bridges, roads, power plants, and digital connectivity. The BRI rests on the principle that sustainable development requires building the foundations of industrialisation, connectivity, and trade. Over the past 12 years, the initiative has evolved from ideas into action, and from a vision into tangible reality.
Forum Highlights
Media executives from all continents assembled at a grand forum in Kunming City, Yunnan Province, from 16 -17 September 2025 to review the BRI’s achievements. Since President Xi launched it in 2013, China has invested more than US$50 billion in BRI-related projects across participating countries.
The 2025 Media Cooperation Forum on Belt and Road, sponsored by the world’s largest newspaper — People’s Daily — drew participants from Africa, Europe, Scandinavia, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and the Caribbean. The theme was “Shared Media Responsibility for Exchanges and Mutual Learning Among Civilisations.”
While some European governments and the United States have criticized the BRI as a “debt trap,” many European media executives present at the forum openly disagreed.
For instance, Ben Chacko, the Editor-in-Chief of the Morning Star in the United Kingdom, urged European media to stop the negativity and instead highlight how President Xi’s initiative is transforming lives.
“European media must stop their negativity about BRI. It must focus on how President Xi’s BRI is helping the people in recipient countries,” declared Mr Chacko.
He said Western media had a responsibility to tell compelling stories about BRI’s transformative effects. This was particularly important given that, in recent years, the Donald Trump administration had torn up traditional global trade protocols and punished countries it disagreed with by imposing punitive tariffs.
“To the contrary, President Xi’s BRI is fostering infrastructure development around the world and enabling the global South to industrialize,” Mr Chacko said.
“BRI is presented as a trap in the Western media. It’s not. It’s in fact an alternative to IMF and World Bank imperialism. BRI is not a debt trap — it’s a lifeline for humanity.”
His remarks drew loud applause and ululations from participants.
African Voices
Agnes Mwangangi, a media executive from Kenya, noted the discipline, respect, and hard work that had propelled China into becoming the second-largest economy in the world, lifting more than 800 million people out of poverty in just 30 years.
“The BRI enables other countries to learn from China in their own quest for development,” she said.
She cited the Nairobi–Mombasa Standard Gauge Railway, constructed under the BRI, which has cut travel time between the two cities by half and boosted trade and tourism in East Africa. In Ethiopia, the Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway has linked a landlocked nation to the sea, opening new trade routes. In Nigeria, the Abuja–Kaduna railway has enhanced passenger mobility, while in Egypt, BRI investments have supported the expansion of the Suez Canal Economic Zone.
Other speakers echoed Ms Mwangangi, saying the media must act as a bridge between BRI projects and public understanding, ensuring citizens fully appreciate their benefits.
“The media must explain the impact of BRI projects and their economic benefits to ensure they are fully appreciated,” one speaker said.
At a time when Donald Trump is destroying established world protocols and trading relations, representatives present noted that China was doing the opposite by promoting genuine friendships based on sincerity. Only friendships built on such sincerity could last long, delegates noted.
Chinese Leaders’ Perspectives
Guest of honour Zheng Jianbang, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, highlighted the critical role of the media in showcasing the success of the BRI.
“Media plays an important role in showcasing Belt and Road projects and in encouraging the Belt and Road spirit,” he said.
He urged media practitioners worldwide to promote the initiative as a tool for shared development, equality, dialogue, inclusiveness, and mutual learning.
Wang Ning, a senior official of the People’s Congress in Yunnan Province, emphasized that China preferred cooperation and solidarity over confrontation.
“Through cooperation and solidarity, we can all create a better world and future. The media plays a crucial role in that process as it connects the hearts and voices of people around the world,” he said.
Wang Gang, Deputy Head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, said more than US$50 billion had already been invested in BRI projects, including roads, bridges, and digital infrastructure.
“The BRI has evolved from a vision to a pragmatic platform of cooperation,” he said, urging media to “focus your cameras on the people to amplify the benefits of the BRI.”
Yu Shaoling, President of People’s Daily, described the BRI as essential for promoting multilateralism at a time when some powerful nations were destabilizing global cooperation.
“The BRI is strengthening ties between nations. Pragmatic cooperation is essential for the future of humanity,” he said.
Mr Shaoling therefore urged the media to tell compelling stories about how BRI was changing the lives of people in recipient countries and how the spirits of cooperation inherent in BRI was essential to strengthening ties and cooperation between nations.
A Road to Shared Prosperity
Speakers throughout the two-day forum praised President Xi for conceiving the BRI with what they called a “deep sense of responsibility” for humanity. They described it as a “road to happiness” that creates a win-win scenario for all.
Siya Mzantsi, a South African media executive, praised China’s emphasis on cooperation over confrontation.
“Cooperation, not confrontation, should always prevail. We thank President Xi for always seeking cooperation with the rest of the world,” he said.
Business leaders also stressed that BRI projects — from new ports in Sri Lanka and Pakistan to renewable energy investments in Latin America — were bringing tangible benefits to millions.
A Personal Reflection
After the forum concluded, media representatives toured Chinese industries and witnessed how China had lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty. We visited modern farms in horticulture and nut farming, where farmers proudly explained how government support had helped them expand exports into billion-dollar enterprises.
The discipline, unity, and pragmatism of the Chinese people were on full display. What was most striking was the sincerity of their efforts: China is not merely speaking about development — it is demonstrating it, both at home and abroad.
The Belt and Road Initiative, therefore, is not just about building roads and railways. It is about building hope, opportunity, and solidarity across borders.
And as media executives, we have a responsibility to tell these stories truthfully, so that the world can see the BRI for what it is: a genuine pathway to shared prosperity.
