BEIJING, July 10 -- THERE are places that tell their stories in stone and steel. Others, like the Liang Ma River, speak in light, water, and breath.

Nestled in the heart of Beijing, flowing calmly past the elegant storefronts of You Yi Shopping City near the bustling Yansha Centre, the Liang Ma River isnt merely a stretch of water—its a living corridor where history and innovation dance together, where nature and modernity clasp hands under the glow of twilight.

It was just as the sun was setting, casting a soft gold upon the skyline, that we boarded a gently drifting boat.

On board were 23 delegates—media representatives from 12 countries across Africa and Asia—visiting China to participate in a media dialogue organi...