Academics, students discuss development of cross-Strait media

More than 60 academics, researchers and students from both sides of the Taiwan Strait gathered in Quanzhou, Fujian province on Tuesday, to discuss the development of media and its influence on cross-Strait relations.

It was the sixth time the "Cross-Strait Scholars Face-to-Face" event had been held.

Lyu Xinyu, a professor of international communication from East China Normal University, said Western countries have a dominant role in producing and disseminating information around the globe.

Media on both sides of the Strait need to strengthen communication, enhance mutual trust, and promote cross-cultural understanding and cooperation to jointly break the monopoly and hegemony of the West on global information dissemination, she said.

Feng Chien-san, a professor of journalism at National Chengchi University in Taiwan, said contact between students on both sides of the Strait is the beginning of establishing good relations.

However, in recent years the number of student exchanges has decreased. It is hoped that the program can be restored for better cultural exchanges, he said.

Event participants focused on the bridging role of media in cross-Strait relations and discussed how media disseminates information, shapes ideologies, promotes cultural identity, and plays a role in cross-cultural communication.