Seminar opens for Mekong media officials, journalists

The First Seminar for Media Officials and Journalists from Mekong Countries kicked off in Kunming, Yunnan Province on June 12, with the theme of “one river, one family”.

Hosted by Yunnan Daily Press Group(YDPG), the nine-day training seminar drew in 17 media delegates from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. In the coming days, the seminar participants will, together with the YDPG reporters, take Chinese high-speed trains, witness the 5th China-South Asia Exposition, visit the border areas, and exchange extensively in Kunming and Lincang.

“In recent years, the Yunnan media has exchanged a lot and cooperated well with the Mekong media, bringing closer the peoples’ hearts in the region and contributing to the Lancang-Mekong cooperation(LMC). The YDPG is a typical example.”

Li Qian, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Yunnan Provincial Committee and director of the Information Office of Yunnan Government, said at the seminar opening, adding the seminar is conducive to information sharing and mutual understanding in the LM region.

“For many years, the YDPG has, via its multiple news release channels, reported the friendly exchanges between China/Yunnan and the Mekong countries, explaining China’s diplomacy of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness,” said Yang Run, editor-in-chief of Yunnan Daily Press Group.

Yang hoped that by the virtue of training seminar, the Mekong media professionals could visit China/Yunnan regularly and increase media cooperation, while contributing wisdom to building the LMC mechanism and the Community with a Shared Future for Mankind.

“I am honored to join the seminar,” said Long Seng, adviser to the Cambodian Ministry of Information, noting Cambodia is a good neighbor and friend of China. 

Long Seng, who is also deputy director of the General Administration of Public Affairs and Finance, Cambodian Ministry of Information, said the training seminar makes a good example for regional media exchanges and cooperation. He added the Yunnan publications in his country like the “China Yunnan” news page and the Khmer magazine are popular among Cambodian readers.

The seminar marks the first time for Yunnan to host a training program for media delegates from all the six LM countries. Via the training seminar, media delegates from the countries will act as speakers and promoters for the Lancang-Mekong cooperation and seeders of the LM friendship.

By Zhang Ruogu, Zhu Dongran and Wang Shixue