Oriented on making people closer

"To understand a country, you need to see it through the eyes of your peers." Perhaps this unspoken formula can describe the essence of the meeting held by Wang Min, Director of the Eurasian Department of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, with a group of young journalists from Turkmenistan who are on a study tour of China.

In recent years, youth diplomacy has been increasingly perceived as an important area of international cooperation. Young professionals, students, volunteers, and journalists are becoming not only observers of ongoing processes, but also their direct participants.

The meeting of young journalists with Chinese party officials was not just an element of the program, but a real dialogue - open, respectful, and lively. From the first minutes, an atmosphere of trust was felt: the youth asked questions, shared their impressions, talked about Turkmenistan, and listened attentively to Ms. Min about the activities of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, about the successfully developing relations between our countries, and about the interests of modern Chinese youth.

And their interests are the same as those of their Turkmen peers - new technologies, development of smart cities, culture, music and sports, and much more. During the meeting, special attention was paid to the cultural symbols of the two countries: the Akhal-Teke horse and the legacy of Magtymguly, who is called the "Turkmen Confucius" in China.

The conversations were conducted without the dryness of protocol - sincerely, with interest and a desire to understand each other. This format of communication is due to the fact that in recent years, young people have become increasingly active participants in international processes. And the "Central Asia - China" format is a clear confirmation of this.

At the Xi'an summit in 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping said: "Friendship between peoples begins with communication between young people." This phrase has become a kind of motto for humanitarian cooperation within the framework of "CA - China." In Astana, in 2025, the topic of youth ties received even more weight: ideas for youth forums, volunteer projects, joint start-ups, and even digital platforms for communication and collaboration were discussed.

Youth is not only the future. It is already the present. It is creativity, energy, mobility, a fresh outlook. And, of course, journalists are a special part of the generation. They are the bridge between societies. Through camera lenses, through news reports and posts on social networks, they form an objective image of countries, dispel false myths, break stereotypes and discover something new.

A trip of young Turkmen journalists to China is an opportunity to see the country without filters, with your own eyes. This is an opportunity to talk to people, feel the rhythm of the cities, try national dishes, look behind the scenes of modern life in the Celestial Empire. And to tell about it at home - honestly, vividly, in your own way - as is typical for young people.

The head of the Turkmen delegation, Velimyrad Ovezov, thanked Wang Min for the warm welcome and noted that youth organizations of Turkmenistan attach great importance to strengthening ties with Chinese partners, noting that "Such meetings create a platform for deepening cooperation, exchanging experiences and building a sustainable future for our countries."

Yes, such meetings and trips are investments in trust. And trust is the main resource in international politics of the 21st century. When young people from different countries get to know each other, communicate and work together, a solid foundation for peace, partnership and development is laid. This is exactly the "soft dialogue" that our region needs - the great space of Eurasia, where different peoples, cultures, histories and dreams coexist.

Jumadurdy POTJIMOV,

Enejan KEPBANOVA

Photo: orient.tm