The boundaries of press freedom should be formed by observance of the law, good ethical practice, and respect for all religions and peoples. For all participants in the media industry, not crossing the line is not only a moral obligation, but also a social responsibility.

Moreover, another question arises after the recent horrifying slaughter in Paris: why do the Arab world and developing countries always face harsher accusations, satirical or otherwise? Samuel Huntington, the late Harvard University political scientist, appeared to foresee the tendency in his book The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. The book mentioned that Europeans were getting worried by the increasing number of Muslims in their countries, and it was the deep-seated cultural discrimination that was the main reason for the anti-Muslim mentality in France.

Given the extreme sensitivity surrounding people's faith, relevant media reports are likely to court worldwide controversy instantaneously if they "cross the line". Hence, with regard to Western media's numerous attempts to lampoon Islam, it is worth considering: Did they do it for better circulation or to encourage the divisions between cultures?

However, one thing is for sure, what originally incubated these terrors are the giant cultural and economic gaps between the West and the East. Given the ongoing global recession, all countries are obliged to devise peaceful dialogues to heal cultural differences. Otherwise, what happened at Charlie Hebdo might take place elsewhere in the foreseeable future.

The author is an associate professor with the Communication University of China in Beijing.