Belt and Road Journalists Network
Articles of Association
(trial)
Chapter One General Provisions
1. The official English translation of “一带一路”记者组织合作平台 is Belt and Road Journalists Network (BRJN).
2. The Belt and Road Journalists Network is a platform of exchanges and cooperation jointly initiated by the All-China Journalists Association and other journalist associations and unions in Belt and Road countries and regions.
3. The purpose of the Belt and Road Journalists Network is to promote the Silk Road Spirit of “peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning, mutual benefit and win-win results”, to deepen the exchanges and cooperation with journalist associations and unions in Belt and Road countries and regions, and to facilitate the friendly people-to-people exchanges between different countries.
Chapter Two Basic Principles
4. Peace and cooperation. All journalist associations and unions on the Network shall have equal participation towards the end of open exchanges and cooperation. Mutually fair and objective reporting shall be promoted through close collaboration and joint events among members of the Network.
5. Openness and inclusiveness. Respect, rather than imposition, shall be valued when facing a diversity of ideologies, social institutions, ethnicities and religious beliefs. Willing journalist associations and unions from all countries and regions are welcome to be part of the exchanges and cooperation for common development.
6. Mutual learning. Education and training resources shall be shared on the Network to help improve the professional competence of journalists. By organizing training programmes and events, The Network is to offer opportunities of continuing education to the wider community of journalists and professionals on the Network.
7. Mutual benefit and win-win results. Cooperation shall be deepened and enhanced in more areas, at different levels and with more innovative models. The Network also dovetails with the Belt and Road Initiative’s principle of “extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits”, and thus is intended for the creation of a new mechanism of cooperation where all members share the opportunities for future development.
Chapter Three Essential Functions
8. The Network is to explore ways of cooperation specific to the nature, features and strengths of journalist associations and unions under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.
9. The Belt and Road Journalists Forum will be held on a regular basis with an aim to explore ways of cooperation among journalist associations and unions under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and to discuss detailed arrangements of events held on the Network.
10. The Network is to promote the implementation of the consensus on the cooperation among journalist associations and unions and to arrange a variety of events and activities when appropriate.
Chapter Four Organizational Structure
11. The Network is to put in place a Presidium where major matters related to cooperation on the Network will be discussed and approved. The Presidium consists of the President of the All-China Journalists Association, heads of journalist associations and unions of other Belt and Road countries, as well as an Executive Vice Chairperson and a Secretary-General. The term duration is set at five years, with the exception of the All-China Journalists Association, initiator of the Network, which doesn’t have a term limit. Before a term ends, the Secretariat is tasked to produce a shortlist for nomination of the next Presidium, which will then be duly reviewed and approved by the incumbent Presidium and then be adopted by the plenary meeting of the Network.
12. The Presidium shall have one chairperson, whose chairmanship will rotate among the members of the Presidium based on the alphabetical order of the official English translation of his/her country name. The chairperson has a term duration of one year and is tasked to convene and preside over the Presidium. The Executive Vice Chairperson and the Secretary-General are not rotating.
13. The Executive Vice Chairpersonship shall be taken by a member of the All-China Journalists Association. The Executive Vice Chairperson is responsible for overseeing the daily operation of the Network.
14. As the administrative organ of the Network, the Secretariat is to be located on the premises of the All-China Journalists Association. The member of the Secretariat in charge of foreign affairs of the CPC All-China Journalists Association Committee is to be appointed Secretary-General of the Network.
15. Strategic cooperation partners consist of international, regional or other professional journalist organizations that have been actively supporting the Network. Other strategic cooperation partners include relevant Chinese organizations. Dialogue cooperation partners refer to journalist organizations that do not yet wish to become a member of the Network but would like to be invited to the Belt and Road Journalist Associations Forum.
Chapter Five Rights and Duties
16. Members of the Network are journalist organizations.
17. Full-membership of the Network consists of willing national and regional journalist organizations that have signed the Belt and Road News Exchanges and Cooperation Agreement with the All-China Journalists Association.
18. Journalist organizations that have not signed the Belt and Road News Exchanges and Cooperation Agreement with the All-China Journalists Association but intend to become members of the Network can apply to the Secretariat directly for membership and will be accepted as full members pending approval by the Presidium.
19. Rights and duties of the Network’s members are listed as follows:
a. Upon approval by the incumbent Presidium and adoption by the plenary meeting of the Network, heads of member organizations have the opportunity to be recommended by the Secretariat as members of the incoming Presidium;
b. Member organizations have the rights and duties to be part of events and activities held by the Network;
c. Member organizations have the rights and duties to supervise the Network by giving suggestions, advice and critique;
d. Member organizations have the rights and duties to comply with the Network’s Articles of Association and to support the resolutions adopted by the Network;
e. In the case of major violation of the Network’s Articles of Association, a member organization can be disqualified from the Network upon the proposal of the Secretariat, the review of the Presidium and then the approval of the plenary meeting of the Network.
Chapter Six Supplementary Provisions
20. With the approval of all member associations and unions of the Belt and Road Journalists Network, the Network’s Articles of Association is adopted at 2019 Belt and Road Journalists Forum on September 28, 2019.
21. The Secretariat of the Belt and Road Journalists Network is responsible for the interpretation of the Network’s Articles of Association.