The inaugural World Media Summit began in Beijing on Friday with a speech from Chinese President Hu Jintao that drew praise from many foreign media members.

Tom Curley, president and chief executive of The Associated Press, said that he was delighted to hear some 15 months after the Beijing Olympics that the progress of China opening up to the world would continue.

Curley said that Hu's speech seemed quite sincere and that the president's appearance at the summit "was an important gesture as well."

The AP also said that news coverage of China has expanded dramatically in recent years amid rising global interest in its economic boom and Beijing's larger role in global affairs.

The news agency also paid close attention to China's pledge to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of foreign news organizations and reporters.

Foreign media coverage had played an "important role" in telling the world about the changes in China, Hu was quoted by the AP as saying. The Chinese president also called on media organizations to promote peace.

South Korea's Yonhap News Agency said Hu elaborated on China's media policies in his speech and pledged that the Chinese government would safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of foreign news media and continue to facilitate foreign media coverage of China in accordance with the law.

South Korea's JoongAng Daily reported that a three-day "media Olympics" Opened in Beijing, China.

The newspaper said that the summit puts a heavy emphasis on the coexistence, competition, dependency and convergence of the traditional media and new media.

"It is also noteworthy that China is pursuing ambitious media reconstruction strategies by planning and hosting such a large-scale event," the newspaper said.

Japan's Kyodo said that representatives from about 170 media organizations worldwide began two days of talks Friday in Beijing. The talks, Kyodo said, focused on the potential for cooperation and competition between new and traditional media in an era of globalization with growing use of digital and multimedia technology.

The Jiji News Agency of Japan said Chinese media are tapping into the world market by providing multi-language services and going multimedia. It said Xinhua is expanding its business by launching a TV news service and developing online and mobile phone services.

(Xinhua News Agency October 9, 2009)