Stronger Cooperation for Inclusive Regional Development

It’s a great honor for me to be at this august forum in the beautiful and magical city of Yuxi. I was here last year when the China South Asia Cooperation Forum was launched. I am delighted to see that the Forum is progressing so well. I am even more happier to note that more delegations from Pakistan have come this year to attend the Forum. This is a sign that the Forum is becoming diverse, vibrant, and robust.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In today’s globalized world in which information travels across the globe in seconds and in which billions of people are connected on the social media, it is very important to shape the narrative judiciously and carefully. To me personally, in today’s world perception management has become a challenge. In the fake news world, it’s very easy to distort reality, sow the conflict, and perpetuate stereotypes and biases. In our dystopian world, we must act very responsibly in managing the media.

In economic development, media can become a key partner of state, government, civil society, and the private sector. I must stress here that in Pakistan we have a TV programme under the name of CPEC Times, being run weekly on Pakistan’s State television, called Pakistan Television Corporation. Most of you know that CPEC (China Pakistan Economic Corridor) is a transformational project. Chinese government has invested nearly 62 billions dollars in the infrastructure development of Pakistan. Some of the projects have been completed and the others are on their way to completion.

CPEC Times elegantly highlights the remarkable developments that are taking place in Pakistan as CPEC projects are being successfully completed. The program is balanced, mature, objective and devoid of any ideological dogma or sensationalism.

I am glad to inform you that a senior team of CPEC TIMES is also here in Yuxi covering the CSACF. With their coverage, millions of people in Pakistan will know how Yunnan is developing rapidly and how opportunities are being created to deepen relations between Yunnan, Pakistan, and South Asia.

I have been working on China for almost eight years. I had the honor serving in Pakistan, Embassy Beijing as Political Counsellor, I have been Director China at Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry and now I am Consul General Chengdu. In my experience, I personally like some of the programmes of CCTV which are very informative, intellectually sound, and help us form a mature view on many important issues. I have also been interviewed by many Chinese journalists whose focus is always on promoting a comprehensive, knowledgeable, and informed view on Pakistan’s relations with China.

In recent years media interactions between China and Pakistan are growing. Many journalists are visiting each other’s countries. With this interaction, a healthy, robust, and informed understanding can be created between journalists of both countries.

Let me speak a few words on Pakistani media. In past few years a lot of channels have come up which are playing an important role in promoting an informed debate. Journalists are becoming more professional and responsible in their approaches. The state television of Pakistan has opened new TV channels and widened its coverage internationally. Such developments show that media has promising future in Pakistan.

I would emphasize here that there is an ever greater need to deepen media cooperation between Yunnan and Pakistan. Yunnan has a population of 48 million people and its growth rate is about 9% which is very impressive. Yunnan has inescapable beauty. In recent years cooperation between Yunnan and Pakistan has deepened, Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences has established Pakistan Center in its premises. In science and technology relations between two regions have expanded and diversified exponentially. The Vice Governor of Yunnan recently visited Pakistan. All these developments need to be highlighted by media so that people know the real potential that exists between both regions.

I wish the forum all the success.