The Global South Media and Think Tank Forum 2025 will be held in Yunnan Province, China from September 5 to 9. Under the theme “Empowering Global South, Navigating Global Changes,” the Forum will bring together approximately 500 participants, representing over 260 institutions from 110 countries, as well as international and regional organizations. Bringing together delegates from media, think tanks, government agencies, academic institutions, and business communities,the Forum will facilitate in-depth exchanges focusing on four pivotal areas: building consensus on peace, identifying drivers of development, exploring new avenues of cooperation, and advancing dialogue among civilizations.

The Forum’s agenda will feature the Opening Ceremony, the Plenary Session & the 4th Yunnan International Communication Forum, the Forum on AI Technology and Media, the Global South Think Tank Forum, the Tea Chat with Ambassadors in Yunnan & Global South Youth Dialogue, and the Global South World Heritage Forum. Key outcomes to be released during the event include the Global South Media and Think Tank Forum Yunnan Consensus, themed think tank report and publications. The Forum will also mark the official establishment of the Global South Joint Communication Partnership Network.

In November 2024, the inaugural Global South Media and Think Tank Forum was successfully convened in São Paulo, Brazil. Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to the event, calling for greater cooperation to advance the development of the Global South. Xinhua News Agency has since been working to build the forum into a collaborative platform with a focus on strengthening consensus,deepening exchanges and cooperation, amplifying the collective voice of the Global South, and enhancing its influence in global discourse. Over the past year, Xinhua has organized the ASEAN-China Media and Think Tank Forum in Malaysia, the China-Central Asia News Agencies Forum in Kazakhstan, and the BRICS Media and Think Tank Forum in Brazil. Xinhua will also host the Global South Media and Think Tank Forum: China-Africa Partnership Conference this November in South Africa.