SOLOMON Islands journalist Deli Sharon Oso has urged international journalists who completed a journalist exchange program in China last week to be agents of positive change and multilateralism by promoting agendas for the common good of humankind.
Mrs Oso was speaking on behalf of Asia-Pacific journalists who participated in the China International Press Communication Center Spring Exchange Program for 2025 at a reception in Beijing on Saturday 5 May to mark the closing of the program.
A total of 119 journalists from Asia-Pacific, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbeans participated in the program.
Mrs Oso, Editor of Solomon Star, highlighted that during the exchange program, she and her fellow international journalists learned that the Chinese media played a crucial role in China’s successful modernization and continue to play a crucial role in the promotion of China’s national development agenda and the promotion of China’s multilateral vision of Building a Community with Shared Future for Mankind.
She said the media in their respective countries too can play a crucial role in promoting their national development agendas and multilateralism.
“Let us prove our worth and contribute to agendas that promote the common good of humankind. Let’s be the agents of positive change and multilateralism,” she urged.
Mrs Oso acknowledged that the visits she and her fellow international journalists paid to various public institutions, including primary schools, secondary schools and universities, visits paid to various historical sites, together with lectures provided by professors from China’s three prestigious universities – Renmin University, Tsinghua University and Perking University – gave them a comprehensive and in-depth knowledge about China and its successful pathway to modernization.
“China’s modernization story is one of awe and inspiration – one that other developing countries should learn from if they’re serious about achieving progress, and meeting the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” she added.
Mrs Oso said highlighted that she first visited China in 2004 and that “the China then was a totally different China to the China we see now. The China then was one that was struggling to free itself from the shackles of poverty. Today China has entered a new stage of development.”
“Since I arrived in China on April 1 this year, I could not help but marvel at the transformation that has occurred within the short span of 20 years. The transformation is real, and I’m glad to be an eyewitness of this remarkable development progress in world history,” she said.
Mrs Oso said as she and her fellow international journalists come to the conclusion of the exchange program, should would like to remind them of a speech delivered by a Chinese diplomat during one of their activities, highlighting the significance of journalists upholding the fundamental principle of their profession – “Finding the Truth, and Telling the Truth.”
“He (Chinese diplomat) has expressed hope that we, as eyewitnesses of the true China, can be able to tell the real truth about China to our respective countries, and build the bridge of friendship between our people and country with China and its people.
“This is a crucial reminder as we’re ready to return to our respective countries. Indeed, we have eye-witnessed the real China in all its aspects and the fundamental questions we need to ask ourselves are:
“Are we going to remain silent amid the growing western media bias against China based on half-truths? And should we allow unilateralism to continue to divide our world, and deny humankind of developmental progress and prosperity?”
Mrs Oso also took the opportunity to acknowledge the Chinese Government, through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs for initiating the exchange program and expressed optimism that the program will have a positive impact on the world.
By DELI-SHARON OSO
In Beijing, China
