Global members of the Belt and Road News Network (BRNN) and media outlets that participated in the short-term media workshops under the BRNN have paid close attention to and spoken positively of China's effective measures to fight the novel coronavirus epidemic, calling for the international community to oppose false allegations and support China in its battle.
Chinese people have made highly efficient efforts to combat the epidemic, while the country has shown the world its sense of responsibility as a major power, pointed out Dr. Iqbal Survé, executive chairman of Independent Media, one of South Africa's leading multi-platform content companies, in his letter to Li Baoshan, president of People's Daily.
It's believed that Chinese people will overcome the challenges in the end just like it did with all the hardships in its history, said Survé, stressing that Independent Media's outlets stand firmly against fake news that smear China and belittle the efforts of the Chinese government and Chinese people in combating the crisis, and insist on providing true and comprehensive information for readers in South Africa.
On Feb.12, Pretoria News, a newspaper under Independent Media, published an article by David Monyae, director of the Center for Africa-China Studies (CACS) at the University of Johannesburg, calling for enhanced solidarity and joint efforts to fight the epidemic.
Cape Times, another newspaper owned by Independent Media, has also published an article bringing information about scientific prevention and control measures and the efforts made by public medical institutions in South Africa to combat the virus.
Russian news agency TASS (ITAR-TASS) and newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta have provided timely and accurate information on progress in epidemic control and prevention as well as China's measures to fight the novel coronavirus, publishing more than 10 updates daily.
TASS Russian News Agency cited remarks from Russian diplomats warning people about fake news on the epidemic published by some Western media. Rossiyskaya Gazeta published an editorial titled “Russia and China share weal and woe: Russian people fully support China in fighting epidemic”.
In addition, Rossiyskaya Gazeta released a full-page poster expressing strong support for Wuhan, the epicenter of the health crisis, and China, with the poster saying “Go, China! We stand together with you!”
Rossiyskaya Gazeta has also published an article that pointed out that the novel coronavirus epidemic will not change the trend of the continuous growth in economic and trade cooperation between China and Russia.
It's believed that the two countries will turn the crisis into opportunity and explore more areas for future cooperation, the article said.
Emirates News Agency, the official news agency of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has constantly paid close attention to the development of the epidemic and reposted relevant commentaries in mainstream newspapers in the UAE.
Pakistan's Jang Media Group has published and broadcast a series of news reports on the current novel coronavirus epidemic in its newspaper Daily Jang, the most widely read Urdu newspaper in Pakistan, as well as its television stations and websites.
In addition to information about local epidemic control and prevention and treatment of local patients infected with the virus, the media group also pays close attention to the general situation of the epidemic in China, Pakistan's assistance to China, and responses and opinions of Chinese media and citizens.
The editor-in-chief of the Ethiopian News Agency has also expressed his support for Chinese people's efforts to combat the epidemic via e-mail to the secretariat of BRNN, saying that he believes joint efforts to build the Belt and Road will bring the world a better future, and that his colleagues will continue to report on the actual situation in China.
Olusegun Adeniyi, chair of the editorial board of THISDAY, a major newspaper in Nigeria, praised the Chinese government for its appropriate measures in coping with the epidemic and expressed concern about and indignation at discriminatory comments online in his recent articles.
The BRNN is an important platform for cooperation among media outlets of countries and regions participating in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). So far, 205 media outlets from 98 countries around the world have become full members of the BRNN. People's Daily is the chair of the BRNN.
