SCO Media and Think Tank Summit calls for broader consensus, stronger cooperation

The summit gathers about 260 representatives from nearly 150 mainstream media organizations, leading think tanks, government departments and the SCO Secretariat across SCO countries.

Daiyrbek Orunbekov, head of the Information Policy Service of the Presidential Administration of Kyrgyzstan, said in a keynote speech at the opening ceremony that media organizations and think tanks shoulder great responsibilities in guiding public opinion and safeguarding trust and security among countries in today's world.

Coordination between media organizations and think tanks will provide a reliable shield against disinformation, he said, expressing confidence that the summit would serve as a platform for generating new ideas and initiatives and contribute to strengthening information security within the SCO, deepening academic cooperation and building bridges of friendship.

Xi Yanchun, vice president of Xinhua News Agency, said in her keynote speech that Xinhua has always been committed to telling SCO stories well and amplifying the SCO's voice.

Under the SCO framework, media organizations and think tanks should continue to serve as bridges and links, she said.

She called on them to seek common ground while respecting differences and promote solidarity and mutual trust; pursue mutual benefit and drive development and revitalization; uphold openness and inclusiveness and build bridges for people-to-people exchanges; uphold fairness and justice and advocate multilateralism; and remain practical and efficient while taking the lead in action-oriented cooperation.

Mederbek Shermetaliev, director of the Kabar News Agency of Kyrgyzstan, said while digital technologies have facilitated information exchange, they have also brought risks such as disinformation and cybersecurity threats.

SCO member states should jointly establish regular dialogue mechanisms among think tanks, conduct joint research, cultivate young experts, promote in-depth exchanges among media professionals, and continuously deepen intellectual, information and people-to-people cooperation, he said.