Media to bring China, ASEAN closer

China and ASEAN member states proposed an initiative to enhance media cooperation for a closer community of shared future at a meeting of information officials on Wednesday.

The China-ASEAN Member States Information Ministerial Meeting in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, aims at deepening the China-ASEAN strategic partnership for peace and prosperity and boosting mutual media exchanges and cooperation.

Information ministers and representatives from China and ASEAN member states including Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines and Thailand attended the meeting.

The meeting determined that news and media authorities should increase international exchanges to promote harmony, inclusiveness and respect for differences, which serves as a bridge to strengthen friendship among all peoples. It also determined that media organizations should become good storytellers about economic and trade development and people-to-people exchanges between China and ASEAN member states.

The meeting highlighted eight priority areas of cooperation, such as communication, mutual visits and exchanges among media outlets in various forms like film co-production and joint news coverage, for "a closer China-ASEAN community of shared future" .

President Xi Jinping first proposed the concept in his speech at the People's Representative Council of Indonesia in 2013. He reiterated this commitment at the 25th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting in Da Nang, Vietnam.

"China is deeply impressed with the development of the ASEAN countries during these 50 years and firmly supports the establishment of the China-ASEAN community," Jiang Jianguo, minister of the State Council Information Office of China, said in a keynote speech at the meeting.

The advanced cooperation of media organizations between China and ASEAN member states is to play a vital role in realizing this vision and promoting sustainable, healthy and in-depth development of China-ASEAN relations, Jiang said.

China and ASEAN established dialogue relations in 1991. They have been entering a new stage with increased political mutual trust, significant outcomes in economic and trade and expanded cultural exchanges.

"We are pleased to offer, as a dialogue partner with China, a renewed partnership to develop the region's information sector, improve our media platforms and professionalize our personnel for better information services," said Jose Martin Andanar, secretary of the presidential communications operations office of the Philippines.

Charoon Chaisorn, deputy director-general of the government public relations department in Thailand, said China has opened the door of opportunity for more countries to link to much larger markets worldwide.