Zheng Bijian, chairman of the China Institute for Innovation and Development Strategy, delivers a keynote speech at the Third CGTN Global Media Summit. Photo/GT

Supported by technological progress and various platforms, it's becoming all the more easy for people to express their opinion, but more difficult to have a rational debate on ideas worldwide. The world also lacks voices from China. Against this background, China Global Television Network (CGTN) launched CGTN Think Tank in Beijing on Wednesday at the Third CGTN Global Media Summit. 

A new type of media-run think tank, CGTN Think Tank aims at promoting cooperation among global think tanks, build an open platform for international communication and diversify voices in the world. The advantages CGTN has in information collection and communication will better empower its think tank in research, which will in turn provide more knowledge support in content creation for the network. It is reported that CGTN Think Tank has partnered with over 50 think tanks in China and abroad.

Shen Haixiong, president of China Media Group, said at the launching ceremony that the world of today is not perfect, against rising protectionism and unilateralism, it is hoped the CGTN Think Tank can grow to be a dialogue platform for global think tanks, introduce more Chinese scholars to the world and promote better understanding of China. 

Representatives from 27 think tanks and institutions from across the world attended the launching ceremony. Ban Ki-Moon, former UN secretary-general, Jin Liqun, president of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and Chinese Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai sent congratulatory messages via video.

The Third CGTN Global Media Summit themed "Media vs Technology" discussed how media landscape has been and will be changed by new technology such as 5G and Artificial Intelligence. From pigeon to AI-powered news anchor, media industry has come a long way. But ultimately it is still about providing objective information and facilitating exchange of ideas. 

As the world is experiencing profound changes, how to better understand China and the world is a daunting challenge. Zheng Bijian, chairman of the China Institute for Innovation and Development Strategy, who is also one of China's leading thinkers, said that China will broaden shared interests with more countries, particularly developing countries to form community with shared interests, on which to build a community with a shared future for mankind. An existing example is the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.  

Global Times