Star online reporter joins media exchange tour in China

A Solomon Star journalist was among six young media representatives from the Solomon Islands who completed a week-long China–Solomon Islands media exchange program last week.

During the trip, they travelled through the rapidly developing tech cities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen in Guangdong Province.

The program, supported by the Government of the People’s Republic of China through its Embassy in Honiara, aimed to strengthen cooperation and deepen professional relationships between Chinese and Solomon Islands media institutions.

A key component of the tour was the participants’ engagement with two of China’s leading media organizations — China Broadnet Media and Shenzhen Press Group.

At China Broadnet Media, George Maelagi and other media colleagues were given an inside look into one of China’s largest State-owned broadcasting and telecommunications networks.

The team observed how Broadnet integrates digital broadcasting, 5G technology, cloud services, and media convergence to reach millions of viewers across China.

The visit provided valuable insight into how China is modernizing its media infrastructure, strengthening digital delivery, and expanding nationwide communication networks.

The tour also included an in-depth visit to the Shenzhen Press Group, one of the most influential media organizations in southern China.

The group also learned about the Shenzhen Press Group’s multimedia newsrooms, advanced digital platforms, and its role in Shenzhen’s rapid transformation into a global technology hub.

The Shenzhen Press Group shared its strategies for digital journalism, content verification, newsroom automation, and audience engagement — practices that are shaping modern Asian media.

Most activities took place in Shenzhen, highlighting the city’s remarkable journey from a small fishing village in 1978 to one of the world’s leading tech and innovation centers with a population exceeding 18 million.

Known as “China’s New York,” Shenzhen exemplifies China’s rapid economic and technological growth, becoming home to global giants such as Huawei, Tencent, and BYD.

Beyond the media exchanges, the journalist also visited the Fushan Recycling Economic Industrial Park, China’s first AAA-rated scenic site dedicated to solid waste management.

The park, capable of processing 12,600 tons of domestic waste per day, features China’s most advanced waste-treatment systems designed around the principles of the circular economy.

The Guangzhou Waste-to-Energy facility processes 3.1 million tons of household waste annually, generating over 1.2 billion kWh of electricity — enough to power 420,000 people for a full year.

Despite handling massive waste volumes, the park remains one of the cleanest industrial environments in the province, with a strong focus on environmental education and public awareness.

The delegation also toured other major institutions and landmarks, including GAC Aion Group (electric vehicle manufacturer), Nansha International Port, LAiPIC Innovative Technology Company (Agentic AI and translation technologies), Splendid China Cultural Village, Canton Tower, Canton River night cruise, Shenzhen Report Exhibition Center, and Ping An International Finance Centre.

The week-long exchange provided the Solomon Star journalist and other media colleagues with rare international exposure and a first-hand understanding of China’s media transformation, technological innovation, and environmental management systems.

The visits to China Broadnet Media and Shenzhen Press Group were especially significant, offering unique insights that could help enrich and strengthen media development in the Solomon Islands.