By Enrique Manuel
Journalist of the Union of Journalists of Cuba, Cuba
As China’s ancient civilization rejuvenates, the country is becoming a globally prominent “New Continent”. Much like the explorers of the great Age of Discovery five hundred years ago, people today yearn to “discover” this land, desiring both to conquer it and to be conquered by it. It is precisely this enthusiasm that has drawn 106 journalists from 51 countries to Jiangxi for the 8th Belt and Road Journalists Forum, which lasted till July 20.
Rather than comparing journalists like us who have arrived in this “New Continent” to the seafaring voyagers who rode the wind and broke the waves five hundred years ago, it would be more apt to call us “space explorers of the future world”. From the moment we set foot on this soil, we realized we were not in a foreign country, but in a new world that is pioneering the civilization of the future. The beauty of it all is that there is no need for cumbersome spacesuits, and our hosts have received us with such sincerity that we can feel the vitality of life coursing through our veins.
Wisdom, accumulated over time, harbors true strength. While the United States brandishes the cudgel of sanctions, Russia remains entrenched in conflict, Europe repeats its strategic error of subservience to the U.S., Africa continues to tend to its colonial wounds, and Latin America attempts to reclaim the vision of its forebears, China is steadily winning the admiration of the world.
Descending through the clouds over the Americas, Europe, and Africa to land in Beijing, the feeling could only be described as “love at first sight.” In just a few short days, the miracles unfolding in China have washed over us like waves, continuously challenging our perceptions.
What is most moving, however, is the humility with which China carries its greatness. As it opens its arms to the world, inviting people to “touch” the fruits of its progress, today’s China is no longer the daunting “Great Wall” of the past, but a great bridge spanning the seas. It has no intention of imposing its millennia-old prestige upon others, wishing only to help all nations pursue the happy life that it has finally achieved through resilience and by overcoming formidable obstacles.
This is precisely where we have personally grasped the true meaning of “a community with a shared future for mankind.” As media professionals, we are not only bridges of civilization, able to carry this understanding back to our respective homelands, but we are also architects of embrace. For we know that although China may seem distant geographically, it is a sincere friend to the Global South.
Deeply understanding the immense potential of exchange and dialogue, China has initiated and established the Belt and Road Journalists Network and continues to host forums, providing a precious venue for media professionals to explore the pathways of civilizational communication.
We initially arrived in China as messengers of other peoples’ civilizations. By the end of our journey, we will have transformed into envoys of China returning to our own countries. The tremendous achievements China has made in technological innovation, material production, and cultural heritage are worthy of extensive reporting by any journalist present. For me, however, whose prior conceptions of China were shaped solely by news reports and online documentaries, I am more inclined to focus on my first impression. On July 14, 2025—a date destined to be etched into the annals of my life—I was no longer just an ordinary passenger on an Air China flight, but a Cuban astronaut dispatched to “Planet China.”
My homeland gazes fervently toward China. An even better future encounter is worth looking forward to, because this is a nation that does not besiege, sanction, or blockade its neighbors. It does not seek to conquer other nations, but rather desires to share the treasure of wisdom for harmonious coexistence.
Nations around the world can fly to “Planet China” without ever leaving their own shores. Cuba, suffering under the oppression of the malevolent U.S. empire, knows deeply that China is not only a role model but also a steadfast pillar of support. After experiencing China firsthand, the most sacred mission of a journalist is to remove the astronaut’s visor and convey the warmth of China to the world.
*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.