BEIJING: The 9th China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Media Forum held recently was more than a routine dialogue: it served as a timely reminder that media has emerged as a strategic pillar of the China-Pakistan relationship.
Against a backdrop of intensifying geopolitical competition and fast-spreading disinformation, the forum’s theme—“Strengthen Media Cooperation, Advance the Construction of the Upgraded Version 2.0 of CPEC”—highlighted a shared recognition: without robust, credible communication, even the most ambitious infrastructure projects risk being misunderstood or misrepresented.
This was stated by Prof. Cheng Xizhong, senior research fellow at the Charhar Institute, a non-governmental Chinese think tank on diplomacy and international studies based in Beijing.
He said that this year’s discussions made clear that media is no longer a peripheral actor in China-Pakistan ties but a frontline player in shaping public opinion and safeguarding mutual trust. Pakistani and Chinese speakers alike noted that in an era of “information warfare,” false narratives can damage reputations, undermine policies, and even affect national security.
Prof Cheng said that the proposal by Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar to establish a China-Pakistan joint fact-checking mechanism is therefore not merely a technical fix but a concrete step toward protecting the bilateral relationship from external manipulation.
Similarly, Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong’s call for media to act as “bridges” between the two nations underscores the expectation that journalists and analysts should explain not only what CPEC is doing, but why it matters to ordinary people, he added.
He said that as CPEC enters its “Version 2.0” phase, with greater emphasis on high-tech, green development and people-centered projects, the role of media becomes even more critical. The shift from a narrative dominated by ports and power plants to one highlighting job creation, energy security, and climate cooperation requires journalists who can tell nuanced stories and experts who can provide context.
Minister of State for Climate Change Shezra Mansab Ali Kharal rightly stressed that media can help project a positive image of China’s cooperation with the Global South, offering an alternative to the confrontational narratives prevalent in some Western discourse.
The presence of senior journalists, think-tank scholars, and business representatives at the forum demonstrated that media cooperation is a multi-stakeholder endeavor. It is not just about government messaging, but about building a dense network of personal and institutional ties between professionals who influence how China and Pakistan are seen at home and abroad, he said.
The Chinese scholar said that in short, the 9th CPEC Media Forum reinforced a simple but powerful idea: infrastructure connects countries physically, but media connects them in the minds and hearts of their peoples.
By promoting accurate, timely, and responsible reporting, China and Pakistan are investing not only in roads and power grids but also in a shared narrative that can withstand the pressures of a turbulent international environment.
