Minister of Communication and Information technology, Mrs. Rekha Sharma at Second Nepal-China Media Summit 2023 on Tuesday. (Photo: Bishal Shrestha, SATV)

Kathmandu, Dec 26 -Minister of Communication and Information technology, Mrs. Rekha Sharma said, the current government has a clear insight that only criticisms and warnings from the media can stop the political forces including the government from choosing the wrong path.

At a program organized in Malla Hotel, Kathmandu on the occasion of the “Second China-Nepal Media Summit” 2023 and also 10th Anniversary of Belt and Road Initiative(BRI) on Tuesday, Minister Sharma emphasized, “glancing at Nepal’s history, politicians and media workers stood together for making political rights movement, a success, and succeeded in promulgating a constitution with full freedom of the press”.

Speaking about China-Nepal Media conference, she further added, “the media of both the countries have an important role in advancing the relationship between government-government and people-people to a higher level, this kind of conferences will also be too fruitful for that reason”.  

Concerned about the technological challenges she states that misinformation, disinformation, falsification, distortion and hate speech are emerging as a serious challenge to the press and freedom of expression. The government has made the development of clean, dignified and accountable journalism as its main goal and has initiated the process of making new unified laws by integrating and amending old laws.

She further added, “The government has prioritized the empowerment of the media and the physical and professional safety of working journalists”.

The conference highlights on Chinese media’s support and role play to develop China-Nepal tourism, along with it’s focuses on agendas like, BRI developments and progress.