Ren Xianliang, deputy chief of the Cyberspace Administration of China, addresses the opening ceremony of the ongoing 15th Forum on Internet Media of China that runs through Saturday. [Photo / Xinhua]

The 15th Forum on Internet Media of China, led by the Cyberspace Administration of China, opened in the southern coastal city of Zhanjiang, Guangdong province, on Friday.

"With the "E-path to One Belt, One Road" theme, this year's forum will focus on internal connection between 'cyberpower' strategy and 'Internet Plus' plan, and show the path to make full use of the Internet media when implementing the strategies," said Ren Xianliang, vice-director of the State Internet Information Office.

Citing President Xi Jinping's address in November 2014, during an informal meeting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders in Beijing -- "Asian countries are just like a cluster of bright lanterns, only when we link them together, can we light up the night sky in our continent", Ren said that the advantages of Internet, such as open and sharing, will become a network for bright lanterns along the road of "One Belt and One Road".

Since 2013, the CPC Central Committee, led by general secretary Xi Jinping, has put forward strategic blueprints including the "One Belt One Road" initiative and the "Internet Plus" strategy.

According to Ren, the number of Internet users in China reached 649 million at the end of 2014 and the Internet economy has become the one of the biggest growth engines in the country.

The forum will provide guidance and brainstorm on what kind of roles media convergence and technological innovations can play in the context of the new situation and new normal, and how Internet media can better help boost the Belt and Road Initiative, turning a new page to take part in building the "One Belt One Road".

The "One Belt, One Road" initiatives consist of a network of railways, highways and other forms of infrastructure, as well as oil and gas pipelines, power grids, Internet networks and aviation routes in the Eurasian area.

"Chinese Internet media has a bright prospect and is urged to accomplish the great deeds in implementing the initiatives," said Qu Yingpu, deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily.

According to Qu, by taking the online advantages, Internet media should play an un-replaceable role in promoting people-to-people communication and cultural exchanges between different countries, to build win-win cooperation.

"As one of the pivot cities on the path of the Belt and Road Initiative, we shall take advantage of the Guangdong-Guangxi Special Economic Corporation Area to better integrate with other cities in the Beibu Gulf Rim in terms of economic development," said Wang Zhongbing, mayor of Zhanjiang.