BEIJING, China — Liberia’s development challenges are well documented, from poor road connectivity and limited economic opportunities to inadequate public services and persistent difficulties attracting investment. But what if journalism could do more than expose these problems? What if it could also identify practical solutions, encourage institutional responses and showcase the country’s untapped potential?
By Willie N. Tokpah
That question is at the center of a two-week international communication seminar bringing together 23 Liberian journalists in China to examine how constructive journalism, public diplomacy and development storytelling could contribute to national progress.
Sponsored by China’s Ministry of Commerce at the request of the Government of the People’s Republic of China, the seminar brings together practitioners from print, broadcast and digital media to explore China’s experiences in international communication, media development and development-oriented reporting.
Among the participants is Willie N. Tokpah of FrontPage Africa, who is joining fellow journalists to examine approaches that could strengthen Liberia’s media capacity and encourage more solutions-oriented public-interest reporting.
For Liberia, the experience raises a critical question: Can journalism become a stronger bridge between citizens’ concerns, government accountability and practical ideas for development?
Beyond Exposing Problems
Constructive journalism moves beyond identifying problems to examine responses, assess results and highlight practical approaches that could be adapted to local circumstances.
It does not require journalists to abandon investigative reporting or soften criticism of public officials. Instead, it complements scrutiny with evidence-based reporting that examines what works, what fails and what lessons can be learned.
In Liberia, such an approach could transform coverage of persistent development challenges.
Reporting on impassable farm-to-market roads, for example, could document farmers’ economic losses while investigating road-maintenance models, financing arrangements and communities that have improved rural access.
Coverage of youth unemployment could examine vocational training, agricultural enterprises and small-business financing, including barriers preventing graduates from entering the workforce.
Similarly, reporting on sanitation, education, healthcare and local governance could scrutinize public spending while examining community initiatives and practical solutions.
The objective is not to manufacture positive news or shield the government from criticism. It is to provide citizens with a fuller understanding of public problems while generating credible information that can inform action.
Chinese Scholars Highlight Journalism’s Development Role
During the seminar’s first week, Chinese communication scholars and media officials encouraged participants to consider how journalism can contribute to national development.
Professor Zang Yanqiu, director of the Africa Research Center at the Communication University of China, described constructive reporting as an approach through which journalists identify problems, alert relevant authorities and examine efforts to find workable solutions.
“The journalism profession should be used for the good of the community,” Professor Zang stated.
She urged participants to produce reports that reflect national consciousness and contribute to development.
Chang Jin, a second-level counselor in the Department of International Cooperation at China’s National Radio and Television Administration, also discussed communication’s role in China’s development experience.
“It is the media responsibility to report in a way that advances the government’s development agenda,” Chang noted.
For Liberian journalists, however, applying these lessons requires adapting them to Liberia’s constitutional protections, independent media traditions and accountability needs.
Journalism must retain its responsibility to question authority, investigate wrongdoing and provide citizens with reliable information. Engagement with public institutions cannot replace independent verification, nor should national image-building take precedence over the public’s right to know.
The challenge is to combine rigorous scrutiny with reporting that helps people understand potential solutions and determine whether promised interventions deliver results.
From Beijing to Anji: Learning Through Experience
Beyond classroom instruction, the journalists travelled to Anji County in Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province, to examine the relationship between communication, tourism, environmental protection and local development.
One major stop was Yucun Village, associated with the development philosophy expressed in the phrase, “Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets,” linked to Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The village has become a prominent example of efforts to connect environmental protection with economic development, particularly through tourism and environmentally conscious agricultural practices.
For the delegation, the visit offered an opportunity to examine how natural resources and local identity can become economic assets when supported by planning, infrastructure and sustained promotion.
The implications for Liberia are significant. The country’s forests, beaches, rivers, waterfalls and cultural heritage could support tourism, generate employment and attract investment. But these resources require reliable infrastructure, environmental safeguards, accessible services and meaningful community participation.
Through well-researched reporting, Liberian journalists could promote lesser-known destinations, investigate barriers to tourism and document initiatives connecting conservation with sustainable livelihoods.
The objective would be to tell Liberia’s development stories without simply reproducing another country’s model.
What Liberia Could Learn From Rural Transformation
The delegation also visited the Anji County Smart Governance Center, where participants examined the use of technology and administrative systems to coordinate social and economic services.
The experience raised questions about how Liberian county administrations could improve responses to citizens’ complaints, publish clearer information about development projects and enable communities to monitor the implementation of roads, schools, clinics and other public facilities.
Instead of reporting only when projects are launched, newsrooms could follow them through implementation and completion, documenting expenditures, delays, community feedback and measurable outcomes.
Such reporting would help citizens compare official promises with results while giving public officials a clearer picture of local concerns.
The seminar also exposed participants to China’s rural transformation experience, including efforts to address natural-resource depletion and develop alternative livelihoods.
For Liberia, where many rural communities depend on farming, fishing and forests, the connection between environmental protection and economic opportunity is particularly relevant.
However, any adaptation must account for Liberia’s land rights, customary institutions, community consent, environmental conditions and available resources. The lesson is to examine experiences elsewhere and determine which ideas can work within Liberia’s circumstances.
Building Liberia’s International Image Through Better Storytelling
The seminar also examines international communication, public diplomacy, digital media, disinformation and the changing global media landscape.
These subjects have implications for Liberia’s efforts to attract tourism, expand trade, promote investment and strengthen international partnerships.
A country’s image is shaped not only by official statements and diplomatic engagements but also by stories about its people, institutions, economy and natural environment.
Responsible image-building does not mean concealing corruption, economic hardship or governance failures. It means broadening the narrative through credible reporting on entrepreneurship, agricultural innovation, cultural heritage, environmental conservation and community initiatives.
A report about a rural entrepreneur creating jobs, for instance, could examine both the achievement and the obstacles to expanding the business. A tourism feature could showcase a destination while investigating road access, visitor safety and whether surrounding communities benefit economically.
Such coverage could promote Liberia’s potential while retaining the scrutiny necessary to make development claims credible.
Giving Citizens a Voice in Development
Constructive communication also raises questions about how citizens can participate more directly in shaping development priorities.
Local radio stations, community newspapers, online platforms and public forums could provide opportunities for communities to identify problems, propose responses and assess institutional performance.
A community facing recurring flooding, for example, could work with journalists to document affected areas, consult residents and technical experts, examine drainage proposals and follow the response of local authorities.
Similarly, farmers struggling to transport produce could identify priority road repairs and assess whether proposed solutions improve market access.
For this approach to work, citizen participation must be meaningful. Authorities should explain which proposals can be implemented, which require additional resources and why others may not be feasible.
Journalists must then follow up to determine whether commitments produce measurable improvements.
Turning Training Into Results
The two-week seminar combines classroom instruction with field visits, exposing the 23 journalists to China’s experiences in communication, public diplomacy and development.
The real test, however, will come after they return to Liberia.
The lessons could inform newsroom initiatives such as solutions-focused reporting series, investigations into public projects, community development features and multimedia stories showcasing Liberia’s economic and cultural potential.
Newsrooms could adopt standards requiring reporters to identify problems, examine proposed responses, consult affected communities, verify evidence and assess whether interventions are producing results.
These safeguards would help prevent constructive journalism from becoming a public-relations exercise or a platform for repeating official claims.
Ultimately, the value of the approach will not be measured by how positively stories portray Liberia or its leaders, but by whether they improve public understanding, strengthen accountability and help citizens evaluate possible solutions.
China’s experience offers an opportunity to examine how communication can support development and international engagement. But Liberia’s path must be shaped by its own democratic institutions, public needs and social realities.
The country needs journalism that exposes corruption, questions public spending and investigates abuse. It also needs reporting that examines workable alternatives, highlights local innovation and helps citizens understand how development challenges might be addressed.
These responsibilities are not mutually exclusive.
For Liberia, the opportunity presented by the seminar is not simply to learn how another country communicates its achievements. It is to consider how journalists can connect public concerns with evidence, practical ideas and sustained accountability.
If the training leads to more rigorous reporting on development solutions, stronger citizen participation and credible storytelling about Liberia’s potential, its benefits could extend beyond the journalists themselves.
Ultimately, constructive journalism must do more than make government look good. It must help the public understand problems, evaluate responses and demand results.
The 23 journalists are expected to receive international certificates upon completion of the training.