The 1st ASEAN-China Media Cooperation Forum Successfully Held

On 12 May 2018, the 1st ASEAN-China Media Cooperation Forum, co-hosted by ASEAN-China Centre, China International Publishing Group, and Information Office of Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government, was held in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province. Government officials, representatives from media and business community, scholars and experts, as well as representatives from ASEAN Secretariat and Embassies of Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia and Singapore to China, attended the forum. Addressed the forum were H.E. Dr. AKP Mochtan, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN, H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre, Mr. Zhang Ye, Director-General of the International Liaison Bureau of the State Council Information Office, Ms. Yang Mu, Counselor of Department of Asian Affairs of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Lu Cairong, Vice President of China International Publishing Group. Ms. Chen Shi, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of China International Publishing Group and President of China Report Press, chaired the opening ceremony of the forum.

Mr. Yang Liqun, Deputy Director-General of the Information Office of Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government and Mr. Yuan Fei, Member of the Standing Committee and Director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Wuxi Municipal Committee addressed the forum. He briefed on economic, social and cultural development, particularly the media development of Wuxi and Jiangsu Province. He hoped that this forum would offer an opportunity to further expand and deepen media cooperation between Jiangsu and ASEAN countries and bring more news information of friendly cooperation to both people, with an aim to make practical contributions to the sustainable and sound development of ASEAN-China relations. 

H.E. Dr. AKP Mochtan commended the forum was held at a critical juncture of the 15th anniversary of ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership and ASEAN-China Year of Innovation. He pointed out that media is playing an increasingly critical role in promoting social development and resolving pressing social issues, while shouldering a common mission in boosting comprehensive and in-depth development of ASEAN-China strategic partnership and enhancing mutual understanding and friendship among the people. He suggested media of both sides to continue capacity building and personnel training, and explore cooperation in information sharing on new media platform and the application of new technology in news dissemination. By innovating media cooperation, people could understand the outcomes of ASEAN-China relations.  

Mr. Zhang Ye stated that in the process of building a closer ASEAN-China community of shared future, the media of both sides should follow the trends and development and take positive actions to tap into rich content of ASEAN-China cooperation, and cover more lively stories of friendly exchange between the two people, so that the concept of friendship and cooperation and the sense of community of shared destiny could be rooted in people’s minds. He hoped that media of both sides could usher in a new era of media cooperation through this platform and make greater contribution to deepen ASEAN-China strategic partnership. 

Ms. Yang Mu outlined the fruitful outcomes and broad prospects of the development of ASEAN-China relations. Last year, the foreign ministers of China and ASEAN countries signed a revised version of the "MoU of Establishing the ASEAN-China Centre", in which media cooperation was formally incorporated as one of the centre's objectives. The forum held by ACC sets a good start for media exchange between ASEAN and China. It is expected that media of both sides will continue to focus on peace and development, advocate the spirit of cooperation and sharing, and send out the voice of unity and harmony.

Mr. Lu Cairong expressed that the forum aimed to implement the outcome of the 2017 Conference of China-ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information by building a platform for exchange and cooperation, laying a solid public and social foundation for cooperation and promoting friendly exchanges and practical cooperation in all fields between the two sides to a higher level.

Mr. Zhou Haijiang, Vice President of All-China Chamber of Industry & Commerce and Chairman of the Board and CEO of HOdo Group, hoped that the media of both sides keep frequent exchange and play the role of bridge by serving Chinese enterprises "going out" and "bringing in" the opportunities of ASEAN development. He hoped more cooperation could be carried out to jointly push forward ASEAN-China relations to a higher stage of development.

Ms. Han Yonghong, Associate Editor & ZB CUM Editor of Lianhe Zaobao, Singapore spoke on behalf of media by briefing on the development and construction of media respectively. She hoped that China and ASEAN countries would innovate media exchanges, enrich the content of cooperation, and contribute more to the comprehensive and in-depth development of ASEAN-China relations.