Belt and Road News Network charts next phase as membership climbs to 327 media groups

Members discussed how to get more from the network, run the international Silk Road Awards better, and strengthen people-to-people bonds between countries.

FUZHOU, China – Representatives of 38 media organisations from 23 countries met in Fuzhou, capital of Fujian Province, on Tuesday to map out the next stage of the Belt and Road News Network (BRNN), a China-led grouping of media outlets.

People's Daily, which chairs the network, presented the third council's work report. The report said that since the council took office in August 2024, it has rallied media from participating countries around practical cooperation, held to core principles while innovating, and made fresh progress across the network's work. This, it said, has widened media support for the joint building of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and given cooperation new momentum.

According to the report, the network now counts 327 media members from 120 countries. It said the network has grown in size, coverage and intake of new members at the same time.

The report described BRNN as an established platform for international media cooperation and a flagship public diplomacy brand under the Belt and Road framework. These are the chair's own characterisations, and the membership figures could not be independently verified.

The council met alongside the 2026 Media Cooperation Forum on Belt and Road, which opened in Fuzhou the same day. More than 200 delegates from 182 media outlets and institutions in 100 countries attended. People's Daily has organised nine of these forums since 2014.

Speaking at the forum, Hu Heping, executive deputy head of the Communist Party's Central Publicity Department, said the BRI now has 150 signatory countries and 30 international organisations, and has produced more than 4,000 cooperation projects. That is a Chinese government figure.

Looking forward, the council plans to concentrate on four areas:

Delegates reached broad consensus on improving the quality of the network's work and adopted the Joint Declaration of the Fourth Council Meeting of the Belt and Road News Network.

The meeting also published the roster of the fourth council, which comprises 42 media organisations from 26 countries. Members discussed how to get more out of the network, better run the international Silk Road Awards and strengthen people-to-people bonds between countries.

They pledged to keep the Silk Road spirit alive and to work together as chroniclers, promoters and builders of the Belt and Road Initiative. They also said they would deepen understanding and friendship among peoples and contribute to a community with a shared future for humanity, as well as to world peace and prosperity.

South Africa's Independent Media was a founding signatory of the first council's joint statement when the network launched in 2019. At this week's meeting, Independent Online chief executive Viasen Soobramoney said a fairer world requires a diversity of voices and mutual respect. He said the BRNN can help by strengthening connections between media organisations and making room for stories that might otherwise go unheard.

Delegates reached broad consensus on improving the quality of the network's work and adopted the Joint Declaration of the Fourth Council Meeting of the Belt and Road News Network.

The meeting also published the roster of the fourth council, which comprises 42 media organisations from 26 countries. Members discussed how to get more out of the network, better run the international Silk Road Awards and strengthen people-to-people bonds between countries.

They pledged to keep the Silk Road spirit alive and to work together as chroniclers, promoters and builders of the Belt and Road Initiative. They also said they would deepen understanding and friendship among peoples and contribute to a community with a shared future for humanity, as well as to world peace and prosperity.

South Africa's Independent Media was a founding signatory of the first council's joint statement when the network launched in 2019. At this week's meeting, Independent Online chief executive Viasen Soobramoney said a fairer world requires a diversity of voices and mutual respect. He said the BRNN can help by strengthening connections between media organisations and making room for stories that might otherwise go unheard.

Delegates reached broad consensus on improving the quality of the network's work and adopted the Joint Declaration of the Fourth Council Meeting of the Belt and Road News Network.

The meeting also published the roster of the fourth council, which comprises 42 media organisations from 26 countries. Members discussed how to get more out of the network, better run the international Silk Road Awards and strengthen people-to-people bonds between countries.

They pledged to keep the Silk Road spirit alive and to work together as chroniclers, promoters and builders of the Belt and Road Initiative. They also said they would deepen understanding and friendship among peoples and contribute to a community with a shared future for humanity, as well as to world peace and prosperity.

South Africa's Independent Media was a founding signatory of the first council's joint statement when the network launched in 2019. At this week's meeting, Independent Online chief executive Viasen Soobramoney said a fairer world requires a diversity of voices and mutual respect. He said the BRNN can help by strengthening connections between media organisations and making room for stories that might otherwise go unheard.