Nearly 60 guests from 27 mainstream media outlets of China, Japan and South Korea, the Chinese Foreign Ministry and intl organizations attend the 2022 China-Japan-ROK Trilateral Media Dialogue in Beijing on November 25, 2022. Photo: Zhang Wujun/People's Daily

Nearly 60 representatives from 27 mainstream media outlets of China, Japan and South Korea, the Chinese Foreign Ministry, and international organizations attended the 2022 China-Japan-ROK Trilateral Media Dialogue in Beijing on Friday to discuss and communicate over two topics: "Exchanges to Reinforce People-to-People Bond" and "Forge Ahead to Promote Cultural Similarity."

The dialogue was hosted by the People's Daily, and media outlets in attendance included the Xinhua News Agency, the Global Times, Nikkei Inc., Asahi Shimbun, Chosun Ilbo and Yonhap News Agency.

Yu Shaoliang, Editor-in-Chief of the People's Daily, made opening remarks to the meeting. He called on media professionals from China, Japan and South Korea to make comprehensive reports to promote the communication of people from the three countries, facilitate exchanges to support the development of the youth from the three countries, and strengthen cooperation to protect cultural recognition, in order to make contributions to the construction of the East Asian community.

The People's Daily is willing to work together with mainstream media from Japan and South Korea to further enhance exchanges and cooperation so as to tell good stories, expand the industry and make unremitting efforts to improve the common well-being of the people of the three countries, Yu noted.

Deng Wei, Counselor from the Department of Asian Affairs of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in his opening remarks that the dialogue had become a signature project and had added genuineness and sincerity to media exchanges between the three countries. Deng said he hopes media can tell good stories of the friendship and cooperation between the three countries, promote positive energy in the region, carry forward the Oriental cultural concepts of inclusive co-existence, and seek common ground while shelving differences.

The mainstream media from the three countries are expected to assume their social responsibility, stand at the forefront of public opinion, make efforts to reduce misunderstanding and prejudice, and help people on the three sides to connect their hearts. They should also guide public opinion with a rational and objective attitude, present the real world with balanced and precise brushwork, and seek solutions to problems with a rigorous and responsible attitude, said Ambassador Ou Boqian, Secretary-General of the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat, at the meeting.

Miyata Kiyoshi, Executive Director, General Manager, Managing Editor of the Tokyo Head Office of Asahi Shimbun from Japan, told the meeting that the three countries have many commonalities in culture and history, and the dialogue will be a good opportunity for media of the three countries to exchange their respective experiences and opinions, and jointly explore the way of survival.

Lee Ha-Kyung, Editor-in-Chief of JoongAng Ilbo from South Korea, said that mainstream media in the three countries should report with responsibility to serve as a bridge connecting people and to continue to inject vitality into Northeast Asia.

Fang Jiangshan, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the People's Daily, presided over the meeting. He noted that Chinese, Japanese and South Korean media professionals should have a broad vision and ambitious goals, actively fulfill their media responsibilities, use their unique power in communication and trustworthiness, as well as the greatest kindness and patience to share joy and difficulties so as to create a public opinion atmosphere of peace, friendship and cooperation of the long-term relationship.

Media from the three countries should use real and vivid stories to express the voice of friendly cooperation between China, Japan and South Korea and to help promote the people-to-people bonds among the three countries, Fang said. 

Other mainstream media representatives at the meeting included Li Zhengyu, Deputy Director General of the International Department of the Xinhua News Agency, Xie Rongbin, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Global Times, Momoi Yuri, China Bureau Chief of Nikkei Inc. of Japan, and Son Il-Sun, Beijing Bureau Chief of the Maekyung Media Group of South Korea.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Korea and the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan. The China-Japan-ROK Trilateral Media Dialogue was initiated and hosted by the People's Daily, and has been held four times: in September 2011, September 2015, May 2018, and December 2019.