Foreign journalists immerse themselves in the beauty of traditional Chinese culture at Zhang Fei Temple in Chongqing, southwest China. On August 31, nearly 100 representatives and heads of journalists' organizations from 50 countries and regions participated in the 2024 Belt and Road Journalists Forum held in Chongqing. (COURTESY PHOTO)

Tania Georgieva Glouhtcheva quotes a Bulgarian song, which goes like this: If you have given a poor person some bread, you haven't lived in vain.

The head of the International Department of the Bulgarian newspaper Duma is reminded of the song when she thinks of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). During the past decade, more and more countries and international organizations have joined the BRI. The result has been the development of roads, railways, ports, airports, hospitals, and schools that have linked people across continents, bringing them a quality of life they once thought impossible.

"China is the best teacher when it comes to giving — not only materially, but also through millennial wisdom and exemplary political practices that improve lives," Glouhtcheva said.

She was among the 100 media representatives from 50 countries and regions who attended the 2024 Belt and Road Journalists Forum (BRJF) in Chongqing, southwest China, on August 31, 2024.

The BRJF is one of the flagship activities of the Belt & Road Journalists Network (BRIN) and has been held six times since its inception in 2017.

This year, it took the guests on field trips across Chongqing, including the Chongqing International Logistics Hub Park. The park is a major hub of the China-Europe Railway Express, which has boosted trade ties between China and Europe.

"The arrival of the China-Europe Railway Express in the Czech Republic has been very beneficial for our country's businesses," said Denisa Petrilakova, founder of the Czech news network Gnews.cz.

The railway has enabled Czech companies to connect with a large number of potential customers, and many have formed partnerships with high-end Chinese liquor manufacturers, designing bottles and packaging for premium products, with a very high volume of orders, Petrilakova added.

After visiting the park, she said she would produce more videos to show her countrymen the significant changes brought by the BRI.

Dramatic changes in Chongqing

The visitors were also taken to an automobile research center to experience new energy vehicle (NEV) driving. "China's NEVs are developing very rapidly," said Moacyr de Oliveira Filho, director of journalism at the Brazilian Press Association. He was especially impressed by the intelligent self-driving technology.

Moritz Nicolaus Lohmann, co-founder of Hamburg Welcomes You, an organization in Germany facilitating cross-border business and investment, had visited Chongqing 10 years ago. This time he found the city almost unrecognizable due to its dramatic transformation, marked by towering skyscrapers and expansive bridges.

Lohmann said what was even more encouraging was that the old dilapidated buildings have not been entirely replaced by new high-rises. Instead, they have been rejuvenated through urban renewal. For example, old warehouses have been transformed into public spaces and cafes, abandoned streets into trendy pedestrian zones, and small factories into art galleries.

"New buildings aren't everything and rebuilding is becoming attractive," he said.

Yophiandi Kurniawan, a news producer of International Relations and News Producer at the Indonesian Cyber Media Network (JMSI), praised Chongqing's strong historical and cultural connection to the Yangtze River, noting its importance to the region's ecosystem, food security, and technological progress.

He highlighted Liangping district's efforts to protect and enhance the river's ecosystem using technologies like AI-powered wildlife monitoring. Liangping, located in northern Chongqing, is rich in fertile land and wetlands. The fusion of AI and environmental preservation in Liangping is a model for others to follow, he remarked.

Unity behind prosperity

The visitors explored a variety of places important for the BRI, from the Chongqing International Logistics Hub Park and the Museum of Ancient Rock Art to the Great Wall Motors Production Factory and a film studio.

"Every time I return to China, it becomes a confirmation that the country is looking far ahead," said Timur Shafir, the head of the International Department of the Russian Union of Journalists. The different places they visited showed how different industries, directions and even eras of China serve the cause of its development.

For Shafir, a striking features of Chinese development is unity. He said the whole country is united by a common goal: to make China prosperous, he added.

"My renewed impression of China is not just admiration for the high pace of development, but also an understanding that this country sets the vector of the future for the whole world," he said.

China is demonstrating that it is possible to move forward support and respect of the interests of partners. New approaches to development, peaceful interaction and innovation are being born here, which will determine the future not only of this country, but also of the whole world. "The coming decades will prove how successful this path is," Shafir added.