Following is the full text of the Action Plan of Promoting BRICS Media Cooperation, adopted at the BRICS Media Forum that closed in Beijing on June 8.

Action Plan of Promoting BRICS Media Cooperation

June 8, 2017 Beijing, China

The BRICS Media Forum, attended by leaders of 27 mainstream media organizations from the BRICS countries, was held in Beijing, China, from June 6 to 8, 2017. It was a high-level dialogue among BRICS media organizations held before the 2017 BRICS Summit in Xiamen. The participating BRICS media organizations appreciated that the forum was incorporated into the annual BRICS meeting, and also extended best wishes to the 2017 Summit.

Under the theme "Deepening BRICS Media Cooperation, Promoting Fair and Just International Public Opinion", in-depth exchanges were held on two topics: Multimedia Innovation for Media Development, and Media Organization's Duty and Social Responsibility.

The participating BRICS media organizations believed that on the occasion of entering into the second decade of establishing the BRICS bloc upholding a spirit of openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation, BRICS media organizations have a more solid foundation for improving cooperation.

They also deemed that the rapid development of new media has provided a rare opportunity for media organizations from developing countries to break the information monopoly and rebalance international public opinion.

The participating BRICS media organizations have reached extensive consensuses on driving BRICS partnership through media cooperation, building a fairer international communication order, fulfilling the media's social responsibilities and obligations, and expanding and deepening exchanges and cooperation among BRICS media organizations.

The participating BRICS media organizations reviewed the progress made in improving media cooperation. It's widely considered that strengthened cooperation and exchanges among BRICS media outlets have improved mutual knowledge, mutual understanding, mutual support and mutual affection among BRICS peoples, and enhanced the strength and power of BRICS media organizations.

The participating organizations acknowledged that media serves as the link to boosting mutual understanding and friendship among peoples. They also held that as an important basis for national friendship and mutual learning among civilizations, media exchanges are of great significance to consolidate public opinion and amplify a sense of a BRICS identity.

The participating organizations believed that the content, depth and breadth of BRICS media cooperation should be expanded and deepened in conformity with the needs of the BRICS nations.

With firm confidence of a BRICS partnership and for further improving media cooperation, the participating outlets unanimously agreed to carry out a cooperative action plan in the spirit of equity, pragmatism and mutual benefit.

First they agreed to jointly maintain balanced international public opinion. This can be achieved by jointly sending out press releases on international major issues, improve coordination on topics-setting, amplify the voice of justice and rationality, and firmly safeguard international equity and justice as well as the lawful rights and interests of developing countries. They agreed to strengthen the rights of expression, discourse and communication of emerging markets and developing countries, rebalance international public opinion and drive it to a fairer and more just direction, and promote building a fairer and more rational global governance system.

Secondly, the outlets agreed to jointly strengthen the media's social responsibility. This is necessary to demonstrate the achievements and prospects of BRICS economic development, and social progress and its role in world economic growth engine. It is vital to present to the world the conviction of BRICS countries in building an open global economy, and show the pursuit and dream of BRICS countries of mutually beneficial cooperation and peaceful development.

Third, jointly boost people-to-people ties. Doing so is necessary to uphold a comprehensive, unbiased and equitable reporting philosophy, and objectively report on the present situation of BRICS development and events related to BRICS relations. BRICS news organizations must accurately guide public opinion, resist distortion and speculation, and offer more coverage on stories conducive to increasing friendly ties within the bloc.

Fourth, to jointly expand cooperation fields among BRICS media organizations. Practical cooperation can include joint interviews, joint press releases on major issues, coordination in topic-setting, and more cooperation in news reporting, professional training, talent cultivation and think tanks, as well as exchanges of newspaper pages, TV channels and airing times. We should continue to hold the BRICS joint photo exhibition.

Fifth, there is a need to jointly develop digital media among BRICS countries. That is, to explore new channels and new spaces in international communication. We should strive to develop an integrated digital media, video new media, social media and jointly seek new ways of increasing international voices via digital means.

Sixth, jointly provide financial information services. BRICS news media organizations should attempt to build a professional economic and financial information platform, jointly establish a real-time information exchange system, and facilitate the two-way flow of BRICS companies' project information via online and offline channels. All would be in an effort to help BRICS companies find more business opportunities and control risks.

The BRICS Media Forum was proposed by Xinhua News Agency and jointly initiated by Brazil's CMA Group, Russia's Sputnik News Agency and Radio, India's The Hindu Group and South Africa's Independent Media.

Present at the forum were leaders of the five initiating media organizations as well as the People's Daily, China Daily, China Central Television, China Radio International, Correio Braziliense, Monitor Mercantil, Grupo Estado, Valor Economico, Empresa Brasil de Comunicacao S/A, TASS Russian News Agency, Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Russia Today TV, Interfax Information Services Group, Press Trust of India, India Today Group, ABP News Network, Indo-Asian News Service, Media 24, Independent Online, Sunday Tribune, Times Media and E Media Investments.