By Amir Kassenov
Chairman of the Astana Branch of the Union of Journalists of Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan
The 2025 Belt and Road Journalists Forum in Jiangxi, China, continued to carry forward the vision long advocated by leaders from China, Kazakhstan, and other participating nations, including fostering global security, driving sustainable development, and enhancing mutual learning among civilizations. At a time when geopolitical conflicts are once again casting shadows over the world, it is crucial to remember that a future free from war and isolation can only be built through dialogue, not confrontation.
This philosophy was clearly articulated at the China-Central Asia Summit in Astana this past June, where Chinese President Xi Jinping called on nations to strengthen strategic trust. Indeed, lasting peace can only be achieved through openness, cultural exchange, and cooperation. This forum was a vibrant example of this very idea. Dozens of countries sent representatives to Jiangxi, including some with divergent official stances, yet this did not prevent open dialogue. Far from hindering conversation, this diversity highlighted the essential role journalists play as communicators and shapers of public opinion, acting as emissaries between different civilizations.
Through this event, China effectively demonstrated how cultural soft power and technological progress can be used to facilitate civilizational dialogue. Jiangxi served as a window, helping us to look beyond stereotypes and official narratives to understand “another civilization.” When you step into this world, everything takes on new meaning.
Culture as an Engine of Development
The forum’s activities in the first few days were held in Nanchang, the capital of Jiangxi Province. We toured the city’s nightscape aboard a sightseeing bus, where the lights along the Gan River illuminated the ancient pagodas, creating a captivating scene. Thanks to the meticulous planning by the organizers, this was no ordinary field trip, but an immersive experience in the city’s culture. We visited Jiangxi Provincial Museum, which is the largest museum in Jiangxi Province and one of the largest in China. The collections of ancient pottery and porcelain were truly awe-inspiring. The way China showcases its cultural heritage is a model for the world—interactive displays, multimedia exhibitions, special effects, and touchscreens—which transforms the museum visit into an adventurous experience, making it enjoyable even for those typically uninterested in such venues.
I bought gifts for my wife and daughter at the museum—a wooden hairpin adorned with floral gemstones and a pair of tiny ceramic cat-shaped earrings. More than souvenirs, these were vibrant pieces of authentic Chinese culture. Chinese people not only preserve tradition—they reinvigorate it. I wanted to share this living culture with my family.
Industry and Ecology: A Unified Approach
The forum also showed us how industrial production can coexist in harmony with sustainable development. In Jiujiang, we visited Sinopec’s chemical plant and sewage treatment facility. Both appeared to be conventional industrial sites at first glance, but our stereotypes were quickly shattered. The wastewater from the chemical plant was purified to be crystal clear. The treatment facility was set within a garden dotted with pavilions, where goldfish and carp swam in clear ponds. This was not a mere facade; it was a microcosm of China’s national policy that prioritizes both ecological preservation and industrial growth. The Chinese government is also willing to share this valuable experience with other countries. According to the head of Jiujiang Sinopec, this kind of sewage treatment technology has already been in use in Kazakhstan. Indeed, the exchange of experience and technology is a tangible example of civilizational dialogue in action.
Another industrial giant we visited was Jushi Group, a global leader in high-performance fiber and composite materials. We heard how its founder once bartered an electric motor and soap for a wire-drawing machine. Today, the company holds a 30% share of the global fiberglass market, with products widely used in the automotive, smartphone, drone, oil, gas, and energy sectors. But what truly matters is not the scale, but the philosophy behind every production process: resilience, hard work, and an unwavering commitment to one’s beliefs. This is the foundation of civilizational leadership.
Culture in Everyday Life
The evening in Jiujiang was unforgettable. It felt like walking through Moscow’s “Arbat Street”, where people in traditional costumes danced gracefully in the magnificent open-air stage, under the night sky illuminated by fireworks. Dazzling fireworks exploded overhead as locals and tourists joined hands in joyful dances. I vividly remembered a couple in traditional Chinese clothing tossing gifts from a balcony, with people eagerly catching them for good luck. A local told me this was not just for fun but a symbolic ritual: in China, happiness, like culture, is not just to be displayed but to be shared.
At the Jiujiang tea market, I not only bought the Pu-erh tea cake I had been longing for, but also had the chance to scatter tea leaves into a hot iron pan and experience the roasting process firsthand. The subsequent tea ceremony taught us how to taste and appreciate the rich-layered aromas. At that moment, civilizational dialogue required no words; it was a living experience. Scenes that many of us had only seen in Chinese movies became a reality.
Mount Lushan: The Philosophy of Nature
In the evening, we took a cable car up Mount Lushan for an open-air concert and a stroll through local shops. I even played a bit of basketball with some Chinese teenagers I met along the way. Language was no barrier. Late that night, I had dinner with a friend from the local municipal government. He is of the Kyrgyz ethnicity, the same age as me. The basketball and dinner weren’t on the agenda—they were spontaneous. He and my two Kyrgyz colleagues spoke Kyrgyz, while I spoke Kazakh. No translator was needed. We talked about how, historically, millions of Kazakhs and Kyrgyz were swept up by the tides of history and displaced to China, where they came to love their new lives and now consider China their home. Through our late-night conversation, cultures and civilizations blended—an effect that official diplomacy alone cannot achieve.
The next day, we visited the Lushan Botanical Garden. Each plant had its own QR code that, when scanned, provided educational videos. A boulder from the glacial era drew special attention—not because it was rare, but because of the meaning people gave it. Once again, China showed how important it is to tell your own story. Culture gains power not only through possession but through sharing.
Confronting History
Our journey culminated at Ruqin Lake, where a woman in traditional costume danced gracefully on a small boat. Once again, we found ourselves immersed in scenery seen only on screen. A visit to a nearby cluster of villas from the British colonial era offered a new perspective. Chinese people do not shy away from any part of their history. Instead of hiding these buildings, they have transformed them into cultural spaces, a silent reminder that dignity can be maintained even under oppression. History is not a burden; it is a stepping stone for progress, especially when it tells the heroic story of a nation’s struggle to overcome oppression and ultimately leave its past oppressors far behind. Time will vindicate all.
Inside one of the villas, we experienced both tea and incense ceremonies. The fragrant smoke from the lotus-shaped incense burner initiated a silent dialogue. With the pure tea, subtle fragrance, elegant techniques, and lingering flute melodies, we seemed to have arrived once again at the secret realm of Chinese culture and civilization.
The Strategic Significance of Dialogue
Our journey concluded with a high-speed train ride to Ganzhou, traveling at over 300 kilometers per hour. The speeding train served as a stark reminder: in China, infrastructure is the bedrock of development. This is also a crucial lesson for the world: without convenient transportation, smooth communication, and efficient movement, there can be no cultural exchange.
All of this makes one thing clear: the Belt and Road Initiative is not a geopolitical slogan but a model of civilizational coexistence that favors consultation over competition. On this path, tourism becomes more than just travel—it becomes an exchange. Journalists are not merely reporters but envoys connecting the world. Civilizational dialogue is no longer an abstract concept but a concrete action. What makes China a leader in this dialogue is not its immense size, but its open attitude. And openness means knowing how to listen and share. That is the essence of addressing global challenges.
Final Thoughts
Returning to the Belt and Road Journalists Forum, I realized something profound: journalism is more than just conveying facts; it is about building trust between different cultures. We may think we write only for our own audience, but perhaps our highest purpose is to make our stories understood across cultural divides. It is this awareness that turns a profession into a mission. This journey changed how I see China and how I see my role. Journalists are not observers alone. We are ferrymen of civilization. We build bridges so other cultures seem less distant. We uphold truth so interpretation does not distort reality. Perhaps this is the essence of civilizational dialogue: knowing how to speak and how to listen.
*The views and opinions expressed in the articles are solely those of the individual authors and do not reflect the position of the Secretariat of the Belt and Road Journalist Network.