Senior CPC leader urges enhanced Asian media exchanges

Liu Yunshan (2nd R), a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, meets with media delegates fromASEAN countries,Japan andSouth Korea, who were in China to attend the seventh 10+3 media seminar, in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 17, 2014. (Xinhua/Ma Zhancheng)

BEIJING, Dec. 17 -- A senior leader of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Wednesday called for Asian media to enhance personnel and information exchanges to promote common prosperity and development of the Asia-Pacific region.

Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks while meeting with delegates from ASEAN, Japan and the Republic of Korea, who were in China to attend the 7th 10+3 media seminar.

"10+3" refers to the 10 member states of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plus China, Japan and the Republic of Korea. The media forum, launched in 2007, has been serving as a platform to promote media exchange and cooperation among the 13 countries.

Liu said the 7th seminar, with the theme of jointly building the Maritime Silk Road and connecting Asia, helps to implement the "one belt, one road" plan proposed by China to create a Silk Road Economic Belt and a 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

Calling the "one belt, one road" plan constructive, open and pragmatic, he said it offers opportunities for common development of the Asia-Pacific region and countries around the world.

Liu called on media from countries along the Maritime Silk Road to increase exchanges in personnel and news products and enhance mutual understanding and trust among people.

The media delegates praised the "one belt, one road" plan, vowing to enrich media cooperation among 10+3 countries.

Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward the "one belt, one road" plan during two separate visits to Central Asia and Southeast Asia in 2013, in a bid to revive the historic trade routes by boosting cooperation between China and other Asian nations.

Xi announced last month that China will contribute 40 billion U.S. dollars to set up a Silk Road Fund on strengthening connectivity and improving cooperation in the country's neighborhood, as he met with leaders of Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, Pakistan and Tajikistan in Beijing.