Global media leaders captivated by welcome ceremony in Xi'an

China

Global media leaders captivated by welcome ceremony in Xi'an

2025-11-06 03:35 Last Updated At：13:37

International media representatives attending the Global South Media Partnership Mechanism Inauguration Meeting and the 13th Global Video Media Forum (VMF) were transported back in time on Wednesday evening, with a grand welcome ceremony at the Yongning Gate, the majestic south gate of Xi'an's ancient city wall.

The event, titled "Dream of Chang'an - The Grand Tang Welcoming Ceremony," featured an immersive and interactive performance with performers in traditional Tang Dynasty (618-907) attire. The ceremony offered a vivid reenactment of the imperial welcome rituals that once greeted esteemed guests in the city, then known as Chang'an.

The ceremony left a profound impression on the global guests, many of whom were visiting Xi'an for the first time.

Aminath Namza, chairperson of Public Service Media (PSM) from the Republic of Maldives, said she had been captivated by the performance and the history of the city.

"The rich history of Xi'an makes a huge difference and the hospitality we've received so far is very heartfelt and very well received," she said.

"This is my first time in Xi’an. It's absolutely fascinating because it has so much history into it, which is I find something fascinating and very different," said Dina Nimer, head of Media Operations at Al Arabiya Media Network Company.

"The performance was amazing. It's actually a warm welcoming to the palace. We felt like the king, the emperor was here alone to welcome us and that was actually very impressive. We love the costume, the presence and the performance of everybody," Linda Bauma, advisor to the Minister of Communication of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), said.

The scale and beauty of the city surprised Juan Carlos Isaza, managing director of the Latin American Information Alliance.

"It's beautiful, it's amazing. I didn't know that the city was this big. The performance that we just saw is incredible. The colors, the makeup, the dresses, I feel like I was thousand years ago in China. It was really beautiful," he said.

"It's fantastic, fantastic what we have seen so far, what you have showcased so far in terms of the history, in terms of the traditions and the cultures. It's wonderful," said Aahmed Nadeem, secretary-general of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union.

This cultural display has set the stage for the Global South Media Partnership Mechanism Inauguration Meeting and the 13th Global VMF in the city of Xi’an, the historic starting point of the Silk Road.

The events aim to build consensus and strengthen media collaboration among Global South nations, echoing the spirit of cross-cultural exchange that once defined this ancient capital.

The Global South Media Partners Mechanism aims to deepen collaboration among media outlets in the Global South, encouraging practical cooperation, content sharing, professional training and joint productions, as well as fostering dialogue and research among participating media partners.

The VMF is an annual professional journalism forum launched by the CCTV Video News Agency (CCTV+) in 2011, focusing on the latest video content communication and innovation trends and providing a highly specialized and interactive platform for domestic and foreign media peers.

Takaichi's political stunts cannot whitewash Japan's history of aggression, remilitarization attempt: commentary

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's political stunts both at home and abroad cannot whitewash Japan's World War II (WWII) aggression, but instead expose the schemes of the country's far-right forces to incite bloc confrontation and promote remilitarization, says a China Media Group commentary published on Sunday.

An edited English version of the commentary is as follows:

In recent days, Takaichi has faced fierce criticism both domestically and internationally.

Her political stunt of kneeling in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier to lay flowers at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra during her visit to Australia further exposed her multiple political calculations to the international community.

Choosing to kneel in front of a tomb in Australia, Takaichi was not regretting for Japan's aggression and atrocities during World War II.

This act not only reveals the distorted world outlook of Japanese politicians, but also exposes their attempts to mislead public opinion, whitewash the crimes of WWII aggression, instigate bloc confrontation, and push for military buildup.

From "fawning diplomacy" during her U.S. visit in March to the recent kneeling show during her visit to Australia in May, Takaichi has been trying to cultivate a friendly image towards the West.

Geopolitically speaking, Japan's far-right forces are trying to expand their military and breach from the restraints of the pacifist constitution by exaggerating external threats. To this end, they are making every effort to exploit geopolitical conflicts and draw neighboring countries, especially Western countries, into bloc confrontation.

Since the end of WWII, Japanese leaders have never apologized to the people of victim countries such as China, the Republic of Korea, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Many Japanese politicians have even tried every means to justify the war crimes.

In particular, Takaichi has questioned the 1995 Murayama Statement, denied the Nanjing Massacre, visited the notorious Yasukuni Shrine annually for many consecutive years, and revived military rank titles during WWII, such as "taisa."

On the issue of Japan's history of aggression, Takaichi's insidious move cannot deceive the world.

Takaichi's political stunts both at home and abroad are a provocation against WWII victim countries in Asia and other regions.

This cannot conceal Japan's remilitarization attempt or the reality that " neo-militarism" is spreading and becoming a threat.

All countries that have suffered from Japanese militarist aggression should remain highly vigilant and united, and work together to safeguard the outcomes of WWII victory, so that historical tragedies never repeat themselves.