Chinese diplomat highlights importance of media in bilateral relations

Media professionals and diplomats called on Japanese and Chinese media to pursue objective, balanced and fair reporting, encourage diverse and engaging coverage that fosters deeper mutual understanding between the two countries, and make effective use of social media to broaden the impact of these efforts.

Speaking at a China-Japan media salon hosted by the Chinese embassy in Japan on Thursday, Chinese Ambassador Wu Jianghao underscored the vital role of the media in fostering mutual understanding, stressing its function as a bridge in advancing bilateral relations.

"We hope that thoughtful voices in the media from both countries will pursue objective, balanced and fair reporting, and commentary," Wu said, "and thereby contribute positively to the healthy and stable development of China-Japan relations."

At the end of last year, the high-level consultation mechanism on people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and Japan was relaunched. Both countries agreed to strengthen exchanges and cooperation between media and think tanks, with the shared goal of improving public opinion and the environment for public opinion.

Takeshi Hisanaga, an editorial writer at The Nishinippon Shimbun, a Japanese daily newspaper, expressed regret that few Japanese today feel a sense of closeness toward China.