Beijing: Some African and Caribbean journalists attending this year's Seminar for Senior Management of Mainstream Media in China have lauded the country's governance system. They said China's people-centred governance system was worthy of emulation because it incorporated democratic values and centralism that balanced voices from broad social groups.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Asian economic giant's tenacity of purpose, discipline, and pursuit of building strong institutions had allowed for the efficient execution of policies and effective resource allocation for accelerated national growth and realisation of strategic goals, the participants observed. Mr. Albert Kofi Owusu, the General Manager of Ghana News Agency (GNA), underlined the imperative for developing countries to learn from the Chinese experience. "We need to be strategic about the future of our country in terms of planning and development.. We need that long-term plan for national growth," he noted. "This should be the way to go. State interest over party or individual interests," he added.
China's development model offers a governance framework focusing on long-term stability, meritocratic leadership, coordinated development, and social order. Alternatively, the Western model emphasises electoral democracy, individual freedoms, and pluralism. The Communist Party of China (CCP) leads all levels of government, seeing to the effective coordination and execution of development programmes and projects.
Mr. Everton Barnes, a Caribbean journalist, praised China for the "selfless leadership" that, he said, had built such a great and resourceful country. "I am amazed at the level of development in this country. Look at the road network, the clean streets and level of discipline, and dedication to duty. This is a model we need to follow for growth," he stated.
The participants said they were also impressed with the socio-economic progress made by the Asian economic giant over the years, especially following the country's opening-up reforms in the late 1970s. They cited China's vast and growing domestic market, unparalleled infrastructure, skilled labour pool, and economic development zones. They also lauded the global supply chain integration, pro-investment incentives, and ongoing market reforms, boosting business environment and economic recovery prospects.
Discipline and dedication to duty are deeply ingrained in Chinese culture, influenced by legalism and communist-inspired ideologies. The country's workforce is known for its resilience, rigorous effort, and pursuit of excellence, which has been crucial to China's rapid economic and technological development.
Commenting on the evolution of the media landscape, the participants unanimously noted that the country's technological advancement and global collaboration had helped the cause of journalism in recent times. They praised China for ensuring discipline in the media landscape by strictly enforcing regulations that engender ethics and professionalism.
The visiting journalists said it was imperative for the media in Africa to also be more development-oriented. The media in developing countries, in particular, should avoid partisan discourse that undermines national cohesion, stability, vision, and holistic growth. "Just as China's system prioritises stability and growth, it is important for the media in the Global South to also strengthen mechanisms to ensure the promotion of the national cause at all times in their work," said one of the participants.
