Kyrgyz journalist: Plans of BRI turned into real projects over 10 years

Bishkek, Oct. 20, 2023 / Kabar /. Ten years ago, Chinese leader Xi Jinping, announced two initiatives called the Silk Road Economic Framework and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. These initiatives were called One Belt, One Road and were aimed at deepening cooperation and joint development. At the beginning, the topics raised in the One Belt, One Road initiative were considered only as plans, but within 10 years, they turned into real projects, Naraly Asanbaev, editor-in-chief of the governmental newspaper of Kyrgyzstan told Kabar News Agency after the Media Cooperation Forum on Belt and Road held in Beijing on Oct. 19.

He said that Kyrgyzstan was one of the first to support the One Belt, One Road initiative and actively cooperates in this framework.

“Both countries have managed to sign a number of agreements and are implementing a number of projects. The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, which is about to start construction, is also an achievement of the BRI,” the journalist added.

Asanbaev considers that the One Belt, One Road does not aim only at the economic basis.

“It also initiates a joint fight against negative challenges in the world. The official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the People’s Daily, is a proof of this that it held a world-class media forum on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the BRI,” he noted.

The journalist highlighted the importance of conducing such media forum as the the information war is active today.

“The cooperation of the mass media not only ensures the availability of information in the media field, but also opens a great way for the public to weaken and reduce fake news and information obtained from official sources,” he said.

The Kyrgyz journalist also shared his opinion that the media forums should not be limited to making presentations, but also announce awards that encourage journalists, and create an environment where award winners share their experience with their colleagues participating in forums.

“The special feature of this forum was that such conditions were created here. It was a great honor that my compatriot, Kyrgyz journalist Nurzhan Kasmalieva became the finalist of the Silk Road Global News Award,” he concluded.