2026.01.16
On January 16, 2026, the Grandview Institution(GVI) successfully hosted a China–ROK Journalists’ Salon in Beijing. Around 30 participants, including media representatives and scholars from both China and South Korea, were invited to engage in discussions on the future trajectory of China–ROK relations following President Lee Jae-myung’s visit to China, the role of people-to-people exchanges in advancing bilateral relations, and emerging trends in media narratives. The salon was moderated by Quan Xiaoxing, a junior research fellow at the GVI.
In his opening remarks, Ren Libo, Founder of the Grandview Institution, noted that China–ROK relations are currently at a complex and critical juncture, with the media playing an increasingly prominent role in shaping public opinion in both countries. He called on journalists from both sides to return to rationality and objectivity, avoid reporting that excessively focuses on or amplifies differences and disputes, and instead highlight shared interests and long-term development in order to facilitate public understanding.
In his guiding speech, Kang Ho-gu, director of the Sino-Korea Economy/Society Institute, emphasized that China–ROK economic cooperation is undergoing a transition from a traditional vertical division of labor to a model of horizontal cooperation. In the face of intensifying competition, he argued that both sides need to strengthen strategic-level communication, jointly review the history of friendly exchanges, and identify more examples of mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation. Such efforts, he noted, would help build mutual trust, reduce misperceptions, and promote the sustained deepening of bilateral cooperation.
During the discussion session, Yuan Qingpan, a journalist with China Daily, pointed out that some online self-media outlets, in their pursuit of traffic, at times highlight one-sided or extreme views, which can undermine mutual trust at the societal level. He suggested that mainstream media strengthen collaboration to jointly convey more comprehensive and objective information.
Several participating journalists also shared observations from the frontlines. Li Yang, a reporter with Dragon TV, noted that Chinese young people are increasingly deepening their understanding of and affinity for the ROK through travel and cultural consumption. For example, the “Moon Jae-in Bookstore” has become a popular check-in spot for many Chinese tourists. Shin Gyeong-jin, a journalist with the JoongAng Ilbo, drawing on his professional experience, remarked that media coverage should not be confined to political issues, but should pay greater attention to vivid and authentic stories in the areas of people’s livelihoods and social and cultural life. Such reporting, he said, can help dispel misunderstandings and foster emotional resonance between the peoples of the two countries.
The discussion also addressed some of the factors behind the formation of stereotypes on both sides, such as information asymmetry and personalized content-delivery technologies, which may inadvertently solidify or even intensify perceptual biases. In response, Yang Wenqin, a journalist with The Paper, suggested that media outlets from both countries could experiment with more practice-oriented initiatives—such as joint interviews and collaborative reporting on third-party markets—to further deepen mutual understanding in a more tangible and cooperative way.
Building on this, Lee Bal-chan, a journalist with Chosun Ilbo, noted that the stable development of China–ROK relations cannot rest solely on individual cooperative projects, but must instead be anchored in long-term, sustainable shared interests.
The salon provided a face-to-face platform for media professionals from China and the ROK, reflecting a shared willingness on both sides to enhance mutual understanding through dialogue. Participants agreed on the need to strengthen positive and objective media coverage and to further expand people-to-people exchanges.
The Grandview Institution stated that it will continue to organize a series of activities centered on specific issues, with the aim of promoting sustained professional communication and pragmatic cooperation between the media of the two countries, and contributing to the stable and long-term development of China–ROK relations.
List of Participants:
— ROK Media Representatives
Shin Gyeong-jin, Beijing Bureau Chief, JoongAng Ilbo
Kim Min-jung, Beijing Correspondent, Korean Broadcasting System (KBS)
Kim Hyun-jung, Beijing Correspondent, Yonhap News Agency
Jung Eun-ji, Beijing Correspondent, News1 Korea
Lee Bal-chan, Beijing Correspondent, Chosun Ilbo
Lee Jeong-yeon, Beijing Correspondent, The Hankyoreh
— Chinese Media Representatives
Yuan Qingpan, China Daily
Shen Shiwei, China Global Television Network (CGTN)
Cao Ran, China Newsweek
Bai Lu, China Internet Information Center(CIIC)
Li Yang, Dragon TV
Yang Wenqin, The Paper
Qu Gongze, Phoenix New Media
— ROK Expert
Kang Ho-gu, (Director of the Sino-Korea Economy/Society Institute; Visiting Professor, Graduate School of International Studies, Chung-Ang University)
— Chinese Scholars and Experts
Ren Libo (Founder and President, GVI)
Ouyang Wei (Deputy Director, Academic Committee, GVI)
Li Chengri (Assistant Research Fellow, Institute of Asia-Pacific and Global Strategy, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences)
Bai Mengchen (Research Fellow, Network Research Center, Chinese Military Culture Society; Senior Military Commentator)
Quan Xiaoxing (Junior Research Fellow, GVI)