The Primera Plana Club has always believed that under the background of COVID-19 raging in much of the world, it is our top priority to strengthen solidarity to overcome the pandemic. We must also promote lifestyle changes and respect the ecological environment.
We have also taken note of the “global alert” issued by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who not only emphasizes the severity of the current international situation, but also urges all countries to establish a more inclusive and effective multilateral system based on international cooperation and implement their commitments to sustainable development, environmental protection and promotion of peace, justice and gender equality.
The Primera Plana Club is the oldest and most respected media organization in Mexico (established 61 years ago), with a strong foundation. We believe that our fellow journalists should work unconditionally with our government and counterparts in other countries to support and maintain the law-based international system and order, with a view to adapting to the new way of life in the future.
There is no doubt that scientific and technological cooperation has become the backbone of the global anti-pandemic efforts. Therefore, social progress shall not be threatened by this health crisis. Pandemic prevention and control and socio-economic development will be the new challenges facing mankind. Media should assume their vital responsibility to publicize and exchange experience with their counterparts in other countries and form a common front for publicity.
We cannot ignore the fact that there are global challenges in the cooperation of all parties. The international community can only overcome the pandemic with solidarity and mutual assistance. For this reason, our media industry should strengthen solidarity and cooperation, that is, to further promote the Belt and Road spirit for peace and cooperation.
To this end, we will seek openness, inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit to carry out in-depth practical cooperation among journalist organizations and to promote friendly exchanges among countries for a truly shared future.
It is worth mentioning that in the second and third quarter of 2020, China and Mexico have demonstrated the importance of bilateral relations to the world. The two countries have ushered in an important stage of cooperation with the launch of the massive air bridge. About 200 tons of medical supplies have been transported to Mexico from China and distributed to medical institutions throughout the country to help Mexico deal with COVID-19.
The Mexican local news media widely covered the significance of the bilateral cooperation, which is helpful to obtain key medical supplies to cope with the health crisis. The people of Mexico are aware that the cooperation is based on the profound friendship between the two countries since 1972, and the recent friendly contact between the two governments under the leadership of President Xi Jinping and President Lopez Obrador.
Over the past 44 years, the cooperation between the Primera Plana Club and the All-China Journalists Association has achieved fruitful results. We have deepened mutual understanding in history, culture, technology, trade, environment and other aspects of interests to the media of China and Mexico, and enhanced knowledge of the history and progress of the two countries in each exchange of visits.
We believe that the Mexican news industry has sufficient tools to truthfully report the post pandemic era to our people, just as what China has done to its 1.4 billion people. Truthful and objective reporting to the public can help us better understand the rest of the world.
In a globalized world, our news industry continues along this path. Although we live in different regions, we are all using new technologies to perform our basic social functions, carry out reporting and defend the right to know, so as to firmly practice the mission of the Primera Plana Club: “for the freedom of the press and freedom of speech”.
We believe that strengthening links among media organizations, both within and outside the BRI framework, can promote exchanges and mutual learning among media and journalists, and promote friendly exchanges and common development of all peoples.
To achieve this goal, journalist organizations must fulfill their commitments and devote themselves to exchanges and cooperation with their counterparts in other countries, showing respect to the Silk Road spirit. Journalism can play a role in safeguarding peace and cooperation. We encourage our colleagues and news media to participate extensively and observe the rules of modern journalism: professionalism, objectivity and fairness.
Meanwhile, we should give priority to mutual learning to improve the skills of journalists through shared professional training opportunities. To this end, exchange activities and seminars should be organized so that more media professionals can obtain opportunities for learning and progress. This will help us achieve mutual benefit and win-win results and seek common growth in discussions and cooperation.
Undoubtedly, there are broad prospects for our bilateral cooperation. China and Latin America are at the same stage of development, pursuing progress and highly complementary in cooperation. Through BRI, we can strengthen our policy coordination, matching development strategy and deepen pragmatic cooperation to bring more benefits and dividends to all parties and our people.
We believe that we will strengthen solidarity and cooperation with stronger determination to build a shared future and promote journalism exchanges in the post pandemic era.
（Speech by Jose Luis Uribe Ortega, President of the Primera Plana Club, from the 2020 Belt & Road Journalists Forum themed Journalism Exchange and Cooperation in the Post Covid-19 Era)