The 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Forum on People-to-People Exchange, co-hosted by the China Media Group (CMG) and the SCO Secretariat, was held in Beijing on Monday, ahead of the SCO Summit 2025 to be held in Tianjin from Aug 31 to Sept 1.
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sent congratulatory letters to the forum, wishing the event a complete success.
More than 100 distinguished guests from political, cultural, and media circles across SCO member states attended the event and witnessed the release of multiple achievements in SCO cultural exchange.
As a key outcome of the event, CMG and the SCO Secretariat exchanged cooperation documents.
The two sides agreed to establish long-term communication channels to further consolidate and deepen their collaboration, including exchanges on cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence.
At the event, a number of senior officials jointly launched the SCO Media Cooperation Mechanism and released the Initiative on the Establishment of the SCO Media Cooperation Mechanism.
The initiative advocates that media organizations within SCO countries deepen cooperation to build consensus on development, take practical actions to fulfill media responsibilities, and enhance mutual understanding through people-to-people exchanges.
Also launched at the event was the 2025 Silk Way Star international music contest.
Jointly created by CMG and the Kazakhstan President's TV and Radio Complex, it is the first music project to bring together singers from Central Asia, the Caucasus, and China.
The program will feature unique multinational performances and renditions of classic songs from various countries, promoting a shared vision of harmony and cooperation.
Meanwhile, the China Global Television Network (CGTN), CMG's international service, together with mainstream media from SCO member countries, launched the "China Up Close: A Journey of Harmony" media campaign.
During the campaign, journalists from 42 countries visited Tianjin, Shaanxi, Shandong, and other regions to experience firsthand the achievements and warmth of Chinese modernization.
In addition, CMG, the SCO Secretariat, and the Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission of the SCO, have jointly planned and produced many youth-focused exchange multimedia programs.
A short video initiative was also launched, inviting young people from SCO member countries to share their stories of cross-border friendship and collaboration.
Beijing hosts forum on people-to-people exchange ahead of SCO Summit
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
