Beijing- China International Press Communication Center (CIPCC), under the China Public Diplomacy Association (CPDA), has initiated a program to build a platform for the media from countries around the world, especially developing countries, to observe China and study development in this country.

The program aimed at media exchange was halted in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 epidemic.

In each edition of the program, journalists from all around the world gather together to get familiar with the modern China and exchange their experiences in the field of journalism.

In 2024 edition of the program, scheduled to be held from late February until late June, over 100 journalists from more than 90 countries are participating.

The CIPCC has provided accommodation and necessary aids and support for the participants in this program.

The CIPCC has accommodated all participants in a diplomatic residence center (DRC) at the heart of Beijing.

CIPCC staff and also some volunteers in the program help the participants meet their requirements throughout their stay in China.

On Friday, March 1, when most of the participants had already arrived in Beijing, the CIPCC held a gathering in one of the buildings of the DRC to brief the present journalists on the upcoming program and also answer the questions raised by the participants.

During the gathering, a summary of the program was presented to the participants, a video of the previous edition of the program was shown, the director and staff of the CIPCC, as well as the involved volunteers, introduced themselves and briefed the journalists on the program.

As announced, on schedule, during the participants’ stay in China, the CIPCC will hold lectures on China’s socioeconomic development, diplomacy, science and technology, culture, and other fields, arrange training on journalism and internships in Chinese media, organize media coverage of major domestic and diplomatic events in China, hold symposium with governmental departments, enterprises, think tanks and the media, and organize visits to selected provinces.

CIPCC Director Yu Lei answered the questions raised by the journalists at the end of the presentations.

Then it was said that the journalists would be categorized into some groups regarding their ethnical and cultural similarities, for example, Mahnaz Abdi, the Tehran Times journalist who was the participant from Iran, was placed in the Asia-Pacific group.

At the end of the gathering, the participants were told to come to the designated place at the DRC the next day to take a PCR test (COVID-19 test).

Photo: CIPCC Director Yu Lei answers the question raised by an African journalist in a gathering of world journalists in Beijing on March 1, 2024 (Photo by Mahnaz Abdi)