Media exchanges stressed for improved Sino-German relations

Officials from China and Germany have called for better mutual understanding and improved partnerships between the two countries through more media exchanges.

Germany expects to boost the healthy, stable development of these bilateral relations via more journalistic cooperation, Michael Friedrich Wilhelm Schafer, the German ambassador to China, said as the 2nd Sino-German Media Dialogue opened on Thursday in Beijing.

During the dialogue, Wang Chen, head of the Information Office of the State Council (IOSC) of China, also called on editors in both countries to strengthen cooperation in international reporting so as to advance the Sino-German strategic partnership and deepen understanding among people from both sides.

This year's dialogue focused on topics of "Sino-German Relations and the Role of Media," "Opportunities and Challenges in Media Reform" and "How Social Media Deepens the Bilateral Relations."

The gathering, jointly sponsored by the IOSC and the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was attended by the two nations' government staff, academics and media experts, and heads of press associations and media agencies including the People's Daily, Xinhua News Agency and the West German Broadcasting.

The dialogue has become an inter-governmental system for media communication and will be held in turns between the two nations each year.

As part of the event, the German delegation will visit Tianjin for exchanges.