Representatives of Chinese-language media visited the Tropic of Cancer Twin Wells in Mojiang and “Youfeng Coffee Valley” in Meili Xingcun, Nandaohe, Simao District, for field reporting. Text by Zhu Hai / Photos by Wang Yi

From April 23 to May 2, nearly 50 representatives from Chinese-language media outlets in 23 countries across five continents gathered in Yunnan for the Global Chinese-Language Media Alliance’s “Colorful Yunnan” media tour. They visited Kunming, Yuxi, Xishuangbanna, Pu’er, and Lincang, gaining firsthand insight into Chinese modernization, exploring new pathways for international communication, and forging new seeds of friendship and cooperation.

Field Visits Offer a Glimpse into the Pulse of Yunnan’s High-Quality Development

The event opened in Kunming with a media salon focused on high-quality development. Officials from the Yunnan Provincial Development and Reform Commission provided detailed briefings on the province’s major achievements during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the “3815” strategic development goals, and key initiatives related to resource-based, industrial park, and border-port economies. Media representatives raised questions on issues including livelihood improvement, border-region opening-up, and green development. Cui Mingcai, Editor-in-Chief of Argentine Chinese Net, remarked, “This face-to-face exchange was extremely valuable, giving us a clear and systematic understanding of Yunnan’s development path.”

With a deeper understanding of Yunnan’s policies and development blueprint, the delegates embarked on field visits across the province. Their first stop was Chengjiang in Yuxi, where the stunning landscapes of Fuxian Lake offered a vivid demonstration of ecological conservation and green development. At Mafang Village by the lakeside, crystal-clear water, tidy village surroundings, and beautifully designed boutique homestays illustrated the successful integration of agriculture, culture, and tourism. Through projects such as lakeside pollution interception, ecological relocation, and agricultural non-point source pollution control, Fuxian Lake has maintained Class I water quality year-round, while surrounding communities have achieved a win-win balance between environmental protection and income growth through rural tourism. Looking out over the vast blue lake, Hu Jieguo, President of West Africa United Business News, said emotionally, “Next time, I want to bring my family and friends here for an extended stay—at least two weeks.” Cao Mingquan, President of Korea Xinhua Daily, immediately pledged to promote Yunnan not only through Chinese-language media but also through Korea’s mainstream media to attract more Korean tourists.

Heading southward, the delegation arrived in Xishuangbanna, the only oasis along the Tropic of Cancer desert belt. Home to one of China’s best-preserved tropical ecosystem, with forest coverage exceeding 80 percent, Xishuangbanna captivated the visitors with its lush biodiversity and pristine natural environment. Surrounded by what many called a natural “oxygen bar,” media representatives eagerly took photos, recorded videos and livestreamed the scenery for audiences around the world. Cao Jingjing, a reporter from Tasmanian Chinese News in Australia, commented, “Stepping into Xishuangbanna feels like entering a living ecological museum.”

Traveling north to Pu’er, the delegation discovered new surprises in the region’s innovative cultural and tourism industries. In Simao District’s “Youfeng Coffee Valley,” once-barren hillsides have been transformed into a sanctuary where visitors can savor tea and coffee culture, appreciate ecological beauty, and experience ethnic traditions. At Lao Zhuaqing Cultural Tourism Village, artist studios, rural libraries, and intangible cultural heritage workshops now flourish, helping local residents move from reliance on farming to starting businesses at their doorsteps and earning higher incomes. Suo Jiang, President of Australia Vision Media, was deeply impressed: “From tea leaves and coffee beans to new forms of culture and tourism, we witnessed the remarkable transformation of Yunnan’s distinctive plateau agriculture.”

Continuing westward, the delegation arrived in Fengqing, Lincang—known as the “World Capital of Dianhong Tea.” At the Fengqing Black Tea Festival, participants experienced tea picking and processing firsthand while savoring the rich aroma and vibrant color of Dianhong black tea. Through this immersive cultural experience, they gained a deeper appreciation for Yunnan’s tea heritage. Gao Jin, President of European Chinese News, reflected, “A cup of Dianhong carries not only the thousand-year legacy of the Ancient Tea Horse Road, but also serves as a vivid symbol of Yunnan’s openness and development today.”

Offering Insights and Building a “Home for Journalists” to Write a New Chapter in Global Communication

Over nearly ten days, representatives of overseas Chinese-language media gathered a wealth of stories about China and firsthand impressions of Yunnan’s development. As the event drew to a close, a symposium on building a “Home for Journalists” for overseas Chinese-language media in the new era was held in Fengqing. Media professionals from around the world gathered together to share their reflections, inspirations, and achievements from the trip.

The atmosphere at the symposium was candid and vibrant. Participants widely praised the journey, noting that it not only allowed them to witness Yunnan’s exceptional ecological richness and dynamic development momentum, but also gave them a profound appreciation of China’s vastness and diversity. Many representatives emphasized that Yunnan’s development stories possess tremendous international communication value: from vivid examples of ecological civilization construction, to compelling practices in ethnic unity and progress, to innovative explorations in rural revitalization. All of these, they said, provide premium material for overseas Chinese-language media to tell China’s story to the world. Cheng Ruzhao, President of the Chinese Star News in the United States, noted, “So far, the photos, articles, and videos we have published during this trip have already attracted wide attention and positive feedback.”

Participants offered suggestions on improving future China tours for overseas Chinese-language, established regular communication platforms and collaborative mechanisms, and jointly told China’s story while amplifying China’s voice. Some representatives proposed that while the All-China Journalists Association should continue inviting overseas media into China for exchanges, it should also proactively “go global” through planned overseas research and dialogue programs to deepen long-term communication and cooperation. Others suggested establishing joint reporting mechanisms among Chinese-language media worldwide to conduct coordinated cross-border coverage on major themes. Additional participants called for a shared resource platform to strengthen collaboration in content exchange, talent development, and new media technologies, thereby consolidating the collective wisdom and strength of global Chinese-language media. These thoughtful proposals provided a clearer roadmap for building the “Home for Journalists.”

With the conclusion of the symposium, this year’s Global Chinese-Language Media Alliance China Journey officially came to an end, but its significance will extend well beyond the event itself. It marked not only the beginning of deeper personal connections, but also the starting point for sustained global communication. Nearly 50 overseas Chinese-language media organizations will now serve as “people-to-people ambassadors” and “promoters” of cultural understanding, continuously delivering Yunnan’s new-era vitality to hundreds of millions of audiences worldwide through their extensive global communication networks. As Jin Shucheng, a reporter from Japan’s Oriental News, said at parting, “What we are taking away is not only the scenery captured in our cameras or the stories written in our notebooks, but also a responsibility and mission to tell China’s story well and share Yunnan’s voice with the world.”

Through the distinctive international perspectives, cultural roots and cross-cultural storytelling of overseas Chinese-language media, the unique charm of “Yunnan: A Many-Splendored Life” and an open, inclusive, authentic and multidimensional image of China are shining ever more brightly on the world stage.