(Yicai) Jan. 23 -- Countries should avoid the risks of narrowcasting and embrace the spirit of dialogue, according to Gim Huay Neo, managing director and China chair at the WEF Managing Board.

“If you are looking at the world where you have such polarized views is also because the space for conversation has been very much reduced or restricted to our own comfort zones, what we call ‘echo chambers,’” Neo said at the Tencent Finance WEF Vision Dinner 2026 in Davos, which was hosted by Chinese internet giant on Jan. 21 and had Yicai Global as media partner.

Narrowcasting is a concept opposite to broadcasting. It refers to the phenomenon where people obtain information only through their own narrow media and information channels, and social media has exacerbated this phenomenon, Neo explained.

“The reason why we want to embrace the spirit of dialogue is really to open up that conversation space, so that you are hearing from people who are thinking quite differently from you,” she noted.

“In a world that is fragmented, you might think that cooperation is coming down, but the finding actually says that it is not,” Neo pointed out, adding that the nature of partnership is changing. “What is happening is that instead of multilateralism, you actually now have this new world, called minilateralism.”

Minilateralism consists of smaller coalitions coming together to work together, according to Neo. “The whole idea of minilateralism is prosperously a reality of a very fragmented world. But more importantly, it is how coalitions of the light-minded can work together for the common good.”

In her view, minilateralism not only promotes business opportunities, trade, and investment but, more importantly, can gather courageous and mission-oriented forces to proactively address environmental, social, and health issues, as well as explore solutions for the future of humanity.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Futura Costaglione