by Marcelo Auler
100-year-old ABI – Associação Brasileira de Imprensa (Brazilian Press Association) has been invited to the 2025 Journalists Forum promoted by the Belt and Road Initiative – BRI (Projeto Iniciativa Cinturão e Rota) taking place in the Jiangxi Province (China) from July 14th to July 20th. In our capacity of members of ABI´s Deliberative Council, my colleague Jamile Barreto and I will represent our Association at this Third Forum. It will be a unique experience for us to meet Press representatives from different countries all over the world.
It will alsobe aunique occasion to learn and ask questions about a totally different culture.Thanks to the ACJA (All China Journalists Association)´s invitation we will have the opportunity to receive “valuable insights regarding the most recent Chinese developments in different areas, i.e.: Economics, Science and Technology, Environmental conservation and protection and Cultural Heritage”.We will learn in more detail about the development process of a nation that is known all over the world known as the driving power of a new international economy.
During the meeting participants from different countries will discuss up-to-date information challenges and international cooperation in the field of communication. We intend to discuss challenges arising from the so called digital world and the social media in the light of defense of press freedom.
Our participation as representatives of ABI takes place in the framework of the approach to ACJA that last year culminated in the admission of our Casa do Jornalista to the International Home of Journalists – IHF.
ACJA & ABI approach since 2023
Such approach started in 2023 (July 12th to 25th) during the first participation of ABI in those Forums. On that occasion ABI was represented by Mrs. Camila Shaw, who is also a member of the Deliberative Council. Such meeting was organized by the Institute of International Studies and Advanced Training, the China´s Group of International Communication.At such Seminar designed for Journalists Officials and Journalists from Portuguese Speaking Countries there were delegations made up of press professionals from countries, such as: Brazil, Angola, Guiné-Bissau, Cabo Verde, Portugal, Mozambique, São Tomé and Principe and Timor.
In 2024 ABI was represented by Mr. Moacir Oliveira Filho, its Journalism Director, also known as Moa, and by the Councilor Mrs. Maria Luisa Ribeiro de Castro Fernandes, also known as Malu. They met 92 journalists from 47 countries in addition to over 80 journalists from China´s Communist Party.The opening session was chaired by Mo Gaoyi, Director of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee Publicity Department.
ON that occasion the ABI, through Moa, was awarded the Membership Certificate of the International Home of Journalists – IHF. Such Certificate has been delivered by He Ping, the President of All China Journalists´ Association, as reported at (“ABI participa do Fórum de Jornalistas do Cinturão e Rota, em Chongqing, na China, e é admitidacomomembro do IHJ”) “ABI takes part in Journalists´Forum promoted by the Belt and Road Initiative – BRI (Projeto Iniciativa Cinturão e Rota) em Chongging, in China, and becomes a member of IHJ”.
A IHF (International Home of Journalists) has been created by ACJA together with several foreign journalists´ associations. It works as a link between China and journalists from other countries. When ABI was accepted as a member of the IHF, Ping emphasized the need of the international media to follow the trends of peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefits. He also required joint efforts to build new narrative structures and ways of expression that “overcome ideology, socials systems and development levels”.
As a result of the meetings held by Moa and Malu in China in November 2024, Zhao Wujun, Director of the West China International Communications Organization (WCICO), established the first Brazilian Office in Brazil of the Bridging News Liaison Office in São Paulo. It is a WCICO´s financial media channel that aims at providing pieces of information abroad. The institution had already established offices in Rome (Italy) and in Lima (Peru). The Brazilian Office is the third in the world. “This new station will play an important role in providing news to Chinese companies aiming at extending their business in Brazil”, as explained the ABI´s Director of Journalism on that occasion.
Also as a follow-up of the conversations held in China in 2024, more specifically those with Mr. Nicolas Zhang, Director for Asian, African and Latin American Affairs in ACJA, last June 16th a Chinese delegation, headed by Mrs. Wu Xu, the Executive Secretary of All-China Journalists Association (ACJA), visited ABI in Rio de Janeiro.
During that visit the Executive Secretary of ACJA and the Chairman of the Home of Journalists, Mr. Octávio Costa, signed a Memorandum of Understanding for Exchange between the two entities in order to deepen mutual understanding, communication and cooperation among media professionals of both countries, as published in (“ABI assina Memorando de Entendimento com a ACJA de intercâmbio entre as duas entidades.) ABI signs a Memorandum of Understanding with ACJA ensuring an exchange between the two entities.
Meetings are the fruit of the Belt and Road Initiative – BRI
Meetings among the journalists from China began to take place when the country standed out in 2013, when it launched the Project Belt and Road Initiative – BRI. In order to build a modern version of the old and millennial trade and cultural exchange route, that existed in the past between Asia and Europe.The Chinese Government launched the development and the economy of several countries, many of them located at the so called “global south”.
There is no need to be an expert in Geopolitics to recognize the role China plays and will play in the world. According to Mr. Luis Nassif, a most respected Brazilian Economics Journalist, in his book “A autofagiapolítica de fritar Haddad”: “the whole economic order based on the dollar is coming to an end and the dynamic center of Economics is moving to Asia. This is a deep change that makes it impossible to forsee any developments”. In such change China plays an outstanding role.
Based on all opinions, discussions and observations, the initiative provides a true exchange from which all parts benefit. It is not something to be imposed by the investor, but rather a partnership game from which several partners can take advantage, including China itself.
Investments made by the Chinese Government between 2013 and 2024 amounted to US$ 1,175 trillion, of which about US$ 704 billion in construction contracts and US$ 470 billion in non-financial investments, according to data published in the Investments Report of China BRI 2024 (Relatório de Investimentos da IniciativaCinturão e Rota da China (BRI) 2024). Based on that project“The first visit to China one never forgets” (A primeira visita à China a gente nunca esquece) as stretched Councilor Malu Fernandes in her article that “Chine needs the world and the world needs China”.
A participant can wonder if those investments will bring about any benefits to the Chinese population.
Such contact with other professionals will make it possible to discuss why Jamile Barreto, my travel companion and ABI´s colleague, pointed out in her article “ABI takes part in Journalists´Forum promoted by the Belt and Road Initiative – BRI (Projeto Iniciativa Cinturão e Rota) em Jiangxi, in China” (ABI vaiparticipar do Fórum de Jornalistas do Cinturão e Rota em Jiangxi na China).According to her definition, there is “a new architecture of information which is more multipolar, more representative, more loyal to the real world diversity. To decentralize communication also means to decentralize power.”
Last but not least although we are aware that our stay in China will be relatively short and limited to the Jiangxi province, it will be interesting to understand how Chinese citizens regard their role all over the world and how they learn that, as well as all this will bring about benefits to them in their daily routine. Such are the initial points of interest that I expect to clarify during that seven-day visit to China.
*Source: Associação Brasileira de Imprensa (Brazilian Press Association)
This article was originally published on the websites:
http://www.abi.org.br/expectativas-de-uma-visita-a-china-pela-abi/
https://marceloauler.com.br/expectativas-de-uma-visita-a-china-pela-abi/
https://www.brasil247.com/blog/expectativas-de-uma-visita-a-china-pela-abi