48 Journalists begin media exchange programme in China
By Edmund Smith-Asante, BEIJING
Forty-eight journalists from 41countries in Africa, South Asia and South East Asia on Monday began a 10-month media exchange and China development studies programme in Beijing, the Chinese capital.
The programme is hosted by the China Public Diplomacy Association (CPDA) and organised by the China Africa Press Centre (CAPC) and the China South Asia Southeast Asia Centre (CSASAPC).
Twenty-nine of the journalists are from 29 African countries including Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Rwanda, Burundi and Cameroon.
Others are from Egypt, Ethiopia, Angola, Togo, Congo DR, Congo Kinshasha, Gabon, Kenya, Malawi and Mauritius.
The rest are from Mauritania, Mozambique, South Sudan, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
The journalists from South Asia and Southeast Asia number 19 and are from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Maidives, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, India, Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Burma and Thailand.
They include four students from Pakistan currently undertaking studies at the School of Journalism and Communication, Renmin University of China.
Opening ceremony
Addressing the journalists at the School of Journalism and Communication, RUC, the Vice President of International Affairs and Alumni Development, RUC, Prof. Yi Zhihong said 2017 was the third year the school was engaging in the programme.
While wishing the exchange programme a success this year, she indicated that the number of African countries involved in the programme had increased from 10 to 29 since it started.
“I believe the diversity of this class of 48 journalists will bring a whole new experience for the teahers as well as the journalists. In the next four months you will attend 22 lectures in six media subjects involving 35 scholars from RUC, Peking University, Tsinghua University, other prestigious universities and professionals from government and media covering a wide range of aspects including China’s politics, economy, society, culture and media,” she said.
Prof. Zhihong said over the years the number of African students studying at the Renmin University had increased to 64, while the number of South and South East Asians had risen to 150.
The Division Chief, Public Diplomacy of the Information Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Liu Yutong underscored the importance of the opening ceremony to apprise the journalists of the key happenings in China.
Sharing his views on the reason for the success of China in terms of economic growth in the past few years, he said it was due to reforms initiated by President Xi Jinping and also the political system that has been adoted by China, where all political parties are subsumed under one party – the Communist Party and one Leader.
Mr Yutong also said that the Chinese culture, which comprised a long history of abundant original and local culture contributed immensely to the growth of the Chinese economy.
He did not also leave out the hard work of the Chinese people, saying “If we can think about it we should get more into it.”
Mr Yutong urged the journalists to learn the Chinese language – Mandarine, because “language is the bridge to culture.” He quoted an old Chinese saying “If you want to be knowledgeable you also have to travel 5,000km.”
An alumi of RUC, Mr Yutong paid glowing tribute to the lecturers and thanked the university for its assistance to the CAPC and CSASAPC.
Lecture
The journalists were taken through their first lecture of the programme by a lecturer at the School of International Studies, RUC, Prof. Wang Yiwei.
The over two-hour lecture was on “Understanding Chinese Politics”. It looked at the uniqueness or universality of China and the Chinese Political System.
Writer’s email: edmund.asante@graphic.com.gh
This story was first published by the Daily Graphic on March 3, 2017
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| Ms. Gao Yuan, Headteacher of African journalists teaching her students. |
The programme is hosted by the China Public Diplomacy Association (CPDA) and organised by the China Africa Press Centre (CAPC) and the China South Asia Southeast Asia Centre (CSASAPC).
Twenty-nine of the journalists are from 29 African countries including Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Rwanda, Burundi and Cameroon.
Others are from Egypt, Ethiopia, Angola, Togo, Congo DR, Congo Kinshasha, Gabon, Kenya, Malawi and Mauritius.
 |
| An African journalist being taken through an exercise. |
The journalists from South Asia and Southeast Asia number 19 and are from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Maidives, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, India, Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Burma and Thailand.
They include four students from Pakistan currently undertaking studies at the School of Journalism and Communication, Renmin University of China.
Opening ceremony
Addressing the journalists at the School of Journalism and Communication, RUC, the Vice President of International Affairs and Alumni Development, RUC, Prof. Yi Zhihong said 2017 was the third year the school was engaging in the programme.
While wishing the exchange programme a success this year, she indicated that the number of African countries involved in the programme had increased from 10 to 29 since it started.
“I believe the diversity of this class of 48 journalists will bring a whole new experience for the teahers as well as the journalists. In the next four months you will attend 22 lectures in six media subjects involving 35 scholars from RUC, Peking University, Tsinghua University, other prestigious universities and professionals from government and media covering a wide range of aspects including China’s politics, economy, society, culture and media,” she said.
Prof. Zhihong said over the years the number of African students studying at the Renmin University had increased to 64, while the number of South and South East Asians had risen to 150.
 |
| Some of the journalists in class last Tuesday |
Sharing his views on the reason for the success of China in terms of economic growth in the past few years, he said it was due to reforms initiated by President Xi Jinping and also the political system that has been adoted by China, where all political parties are subsumed under one party – the Communist Party and one Leader.
Mr Yutong also said that the Chinese culture, which comprised a long history of abundant original and local culture contributed immensely to the growth of the Chinese economy.
He did not also leave out the hard work of the Chinese people, saying “If we can think about it we should get more into it.”
Mr Yutong urged the journalists to learn the Chinese language – Mandarine, because “language is the bridge to culture.” He quoted an old Chinese saying “If you want to be knowledgeable you also have to travel 5,000km.”
An alumi of RUC, Mr Yutong paid glowing tribute to the lecturers and thanked the university for its assistance to the CAPC and CSASAPC.
Lecture
The journalists were taken through their first lecture of the programme by a lecturer at the School of International Studies, RUC, Prof. Wang Yiwei.
The over two-hour lecture was on “Understanding Chinese Politics”. It looked at the uniqueness or universality of China and the Chinese Political System.
Writer’s email: edmund.asante@graphic.com.gh
This story was first published by the Daily Graphic on March 3, 2017
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