The "Global Perspectives on China" Collaborative Communication Initiative is launched by the Global Times in Beijing on September 16, 2026. Photo: Li Hao/GT

A high-level exchange event on the Global Development Initiative (GDI) was held in Beijing on Wednesday, where participants hailed the initiative for generating growing momentum for cooperation among Global South countries over the past five years and called for broader cross-sector collaboration to better share the development experiences and modernization stories of the Global South.

The "Global Perspectives on China: Dialogue on Global Development Initiative," hosted by the Global Times and co-organized by the Academic Committee of the China Public Relations Association, was held in Beijing on Wednesday. Ye Zhenzhen, deputy editor-in-chief of People's Daily, Guo Weimin, president of the China Public Relations Association, Jia Wenjian, president of Beijing Foreign Studies University, Indonesian Ambassador to China Djauhari Oratmangun and Mario Alzugaray, deputy head of the Mission of the Cuban Embassy in China, attended and spoke at the event. More than 100 Chinese and foreign media professionals, diplomats, academics, and business representatives also gathered to exchange views on international communication surrounding the GDI and its practices.

2026 marks the fifth anniversary of the GDI, which was proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping. In just five years, the GDI has turned from a Chinese proposal into a global consensus, and from aligning development goals to advancing a wide range of practical cooperation, winning wide appreciation and drawing active participation from the international community. The event aimed to summarize the positive outcomes of the GDI over the past five years, build a high-level platform for exchanges, and explore new approaches to shaping global development narratives and innovating international communication. 

Participants agreed the GDI has achieved great results since its launch, while its vision has resonated strongly with Global South countries. Chinese modernization has created a new form of human civilization, presenting the world with a development path different from that of Western modernization. It has provided opportunities and greater space for other Global South countries to explore their own paths to development, while offering fundamental guidance and practical support for building an international communication framework through which China can share stories of shared development. 

Participants noted that telling the stories of modernization in the Global South is a systematic, long-term endeavor that requires coordinated participation from governments, universities, think tanks, media organizations, businesses and other stakeholders. They expressed their willingness to continue contributing to the effort.

During the event, the "Global Perspectives on China" Collaborative Communication Initiative was launched. This is an international communication initiative launched by the Global Times, featuring a series of interviews with foreign political figures, experts and scholars, and overseas media professionals. It aims to build a bridge for dialogue and communication between China and the rest of the world and continuously bring true, multifaceted and comprehensive stories about China to a global audience.

The event also featured a photo exhibition titled "Together with the World: Global Development Cooperation." Participants from the Seminar on Artificial Intelligence and Media Development for Countries Along the Belt and Road attended the event to observe and exchange views, listen to perspectives from Chinese and international guests, and promote exchanges and mutual learning among media professionals from different countries.