Chinese president urges stronger media influence for more realistic China, LatAm image

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a speech at a summit of Chinese and Latin American media executives in Santiago, capital of Chile, Nov. 22, 2016. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged in Santiago on Tuesday Chinese and Latin American media agencies to jointly expand their influence and introduce to the world a more realistic image of China and Latin America.

Xi, accompanied by his Chilean counterpart, Michelle Bachelet, made the remarks while delivering a speech at a summit of Chinese and Latin American media executives in Chile's capital Santiago.

Media exchanges constitute an important part of the China-Latin America relationship, and Chinese and Latin American media agencies can do a lot in carrying on and advancing the friendship between their peoples, Xi said.

The Chinese president noted that Chinese and Latin American media agencies should jointly speak up on major issues such as world peace and development.

He said media agencies should also help boost pragmatic cooperation between China and Latin America, enhance the enthusiasm for and confidence in bilateral cooperation, and promote innovative cooperation models.

Xi said Chinese and Latin American media should learn from each other and take bilateral media exchanges and cooperation to higher levels.

China has already announced to set up a center for Chinese and Latin American media exchanges and invite some Latin American journalists to work and study in China, he said.

Over the next five years, China is also going to train 500 media staff for Latin American and Caribbean countries, Xi announced.