Reporters upbeat about forum's role in communication

Journalists learn about Chinese cloisonne, a technique used to decorate metalware by soldering metal strips and filling them with enamel paste, at the media center of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing on Monday. FENG YONGBIN/CHINA DAILY

Foreign journalists covering the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing have demonstrated their keen interest in discussions surrounding sustainable development and spoken highly of the event's role in promoting communication across the globe.

"I am most interested in topics to do with green energy, green development and every effort that is being made to ensure that we have clean technologies that can be transferred to countries in real need of them for development," said Walter Nyamukondiwa, a journalist from Zimbabwe's largest newspaper The Herald.

Nyamukondiwa said that as climate change has loomed as a major challenge for development, it is important for nations, corporations and organizations to pay special attention to the environment while pursuing and sustaining their development.

He added that Felix Mhona, Zimbabwe's minister of transport and infrastructure development, will attend the event in Beijing. Nyamukondiwa said that he is looking forward to learning from Mhona about what projects under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative are already in the pipeline in his country and prospects for future cooperation.

The forum, which is being held on Tuesday and Wednesday, will comprise three high-level meetings on connectivity, green development and digital economy. Six themed sub-forums covering topics such as maritime cooperation, people-to-people connectivity and trade connectivity will also be held.

Maria Sanhueza, a Chilean correspondent for media outlet The Citizen, said that one of the most important and urgent tasks confronting the world is speeding up the transition to a green economy.

"We know that we are at a very dangerous situation, with the warming climate increasing the risk every day. So this is one of the dimensions that interests me the most during the forum," she said.

While Chilean President Gabriel Boric is in Beijing for the event, Sanhueza said she plans to report on what Chile will agree on in terms of cooperation in renewable technologies as part of the BRI.

Sanhueza added that the forum has also come at a time when conflict-induced confrontations in other parts of the world have intensified.

However, "We have this initiative, which is actually going in the direction of cooperation and bringing countries to sit at a table to talk about common challenges and common goals", she said.

Saud Faisal Malik, editor-in-chief of the Observer Diplomat Magazine in Pakistan, said he would focus on future agreements of the initiative, especially possible new memorandums of understanding in the business sector.

Malik said he was impressed by a wide variety of facilities at the media center located in the National Convention Center. "The media center is well equipped with all facilities for media friends. It has different Chinese activities such as traditional medicine and wooden block technique," he said.

Nearly 4,000 reporters from China and abroad have registered to cover the event, including more than 1,200 from overseas, according to event organizers.

Kwizela Basebya, a reporter from Tanzania, said: "One of the biggest things which I've seen at this media center for the forum is technology. I have seen a lot of massive new technologies popping in, such as artificial intelligence.

"The environment and setup of the media center are beautiful, awesome and modern. I think it's a good place for journalists to work and cover the forum," he added.

Liu Jianqiao contributed to this story.