Enhanced communication reduces trust deficit

Wednesday marked the second anniversary of President Xi Jinping's speech on the promotion of China's international communication work.

Over the past two years, under the guidance of that speech along with other directives he has made in that regard, the country has made tremendous progress in enhancing its international communication ability and strengthening its say in international affairs, which is conducive to forming a favorable external environment for the country, and advancing the building of a community with a shared future for humankind.

It is already a social consensus that the country should have a say in the world that matches its comprehensive national power and international status. And the awareness of the authorities at various levels of that task has risen markedly.

But apart from authorities at various levels and media outlets, China's international communication system also comprises enterprises, think tanks, schools, social organizations and individual residents. And its international communication capacity is based on technology, capital, management, organization, innovation and talents.

All these factors are contributing to the improvement of China's international communication efficiency and its final effects, so that China can be better understood by the world, and the Chinese people can see China's relations with the rest of the world in a more objective and more confident way.

Thanks to the country's enhanced ability in international communication, it can better safeguard its national interests by better rebuffing the rumors, smears and lies propagated by some countries and ensure that a correct understanding of China prevails in the world.

A stronger international communication ability means China can better work with other developing countries to promote reform of the international order in a fair and just direction that better reflects their interests by setting the agenda in multilateral meetings and international organizations. They are no longer the silent majority in the international community that is represented, explained and distorted by a few developed countries.

China's stronger international communication ability also means that it can translate its long history, civilization and unique culture and wisdom into soft power.

But still the country needs to pursue breakthroughs in communication technologies and improve its story-telling skills to break the West's dominance of the world public opinion market, and make its due contribution to reducing the trust deficit in the world.