BEIJING -- Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli on Thursday said the media should help people understand the Belt and Road Initiative.

Zhang was meeting with delegates to a media forum on the Belt and Road Initiative hosted by the People's Daily and attended by over 300 representatives from 126 countries and international organizations.

"China welcomes media outlets and think tanks to cooperate and consolidate public opinion while offering intellectual support for the Belt and Road Initiative," Zhang said.

Zhang said that over the past four years, the initiative has yielded fruitful results, calling for consensus and upgrading of cooperation to jointly build the Belt and Road into a path of peace, prosperity, opening-up, innovation and civilization, so as to benefit Belt and Road countries and peoples.

Foreign representatives said the Belt and Road Initiative serves the interests of all parties and enjoys a promising prospect, adding that media outlets are willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation to create a sound environment for the implementation of the initiative.