Media promotes identity, promotes cooperation and mutual understanding in ASEAN

On May 7, the 17th ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information (AMRI) Meeting and the 8th ASEAN+3 Information Ministers Meeting (with China, Japan, and South Korea) officially took place in the capital Bandar Seri Begawan of Brunei.

Overview of the 17th ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information (AMRI) Meeting and the 8th ASEAN+3 Information Ministers Meeting (with China, Japan, and South Korea) in Brunei, May 7. (Source: Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)

The theme of this Conference is "MAJU - Media for Common Understanding: Transforming the role of media in promoting cooperation and mutual understanding in ASEAN".

“MAJU”, a word meaning “Moving Forward” in Malay, clearly reflected the main spirit of the conference: promoting the role of the media as a strong pillar for peace , stability and prosperity in the region.

The 17th AMRI Conference, chaired by His Excellency Mr. Pehin Dato Halbi, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Defense II of Brunei Darussalam, and attended by Ministers/Heads of Delegation from all ASEAN Member States, Timor-Leste (as observer), partner countries China, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the ASEAN Secretariat, has become an important forum for in-depth discussions on the vital role of the information and communications industry.

Cambodian Minister of Information Neth Pheaktra assumed the role of Vice Chairman of the Conference. The Vietnamese delegation led by Permanent Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Le Hai Binh attended and made positive contributions to the Conference.

In his opening remarks, the representative of the host country Brunei highlighted the importance of the media sector in supporting ASEAN’s sustainable development goals while addressing current global and geopolitical challenges. Brunei also proposed three main focuses for the MAJU theme, including ensuring the media sector operates effectively and sustainably and seeking diverse sources of investment for development.

The Ministers agreed that, in the context of a volatile world and the continuous development of digital technology, the ASEAN information and communications industry needs to enhance cooperation and innovation to adapt to rapidly changing media consumption trends and effectively take advantage of opportunities from an increasingly complex digital landscape.

One of the core responsibilities highlighted is to proactively and actively nurture and promote ASEAN identity, and strengthen regional solidarity through the production and dissemination of timely, reliable, accurate, inclusive and culturally sensitive information content.

ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General for Socio-Cultural Affairs San Lwin outlined five key directions for the regional information industry, including: continuing existing efforts to inspire and inform the public about ASEAN developments, enhancing the effectiveness of risk and uncertainty mitigation; affirming the ASEAN information industry as an integral part of the growth of the ASEAN creative economy; minimizing the harm of fake news, focusing on digital literacy, communication and the public's "attention span"; recognizing youth as creators and change agents, harnessing technology ethically; and using digital platforms to promote cyber wellness and a safer digital environment.

Permanent Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Le Hai Binh led the Vietnamese delegation to speak at the Conference. (Source: Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)

As the Chair of AMRI for the 2023-2025 term that has just ended, in his speech as the outgoing Chair, Permanent Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Le Hai Binh sincerely thanked the ASEAN Secretariat and member countries for their close cooperation.

Mr. Le Hai Binh emphasized Vietnam's efforts in promoting cooperation priorities, especially the realization of the Da Nang Declaration "Media: From Information to Knowledge for a Resilient and Adaptive ASEAN", a declaration that has set out a new role and mission for the press and media industry in enhancing knowledge, understanding and nurturing ASEAN Identity.

Deputy Minister Le Hai Binh also reviewed the active implementation of the Information and Communications Strategy Plan 2016-2025, the ASEAN Communications Master Plan II, and the activities of the Task Force on Fake News (TFFN) initiated by Vietnam and hosting its first meeting in 2022.

After officially handing over the role of AMRI Chairman to Brunei, Deputy Minister Le Hai Binh affirmed that Vietnam is committed to continuing to cooperate closely with the Chairman, Vice Chairman and all ASEAN member countries.

During the ministerial discussion session, Deputy Minister Le Hai Binh presented in-depth assessments on the topic of "MAJU", considering it a suitable continuation of the spirit of the Da Nang Declaration. He shared the consistent policies of the Party and State of Vietnam in creating conditions for the press and media to develop, while promoting their role in building and creating society.

Vietnam's efforts in recent times have focused on realizing the new role of the media, promoting strong digital transformation in the field of journalism, and proactively cooperating internationally to deal with common challenges such as fake news and misinformation.

In that spirit, the Head of the Vietnamese Delegation made three key proposals for cooperation in the coming period: Enhancing the role of the media in knowledge creation; Building a healthy information and communication environment; and Promoting digital transformation, enhancing digital capacity and media literacy.

The Vietnamese delegation also announced plans to host the Forum on Digital Transformation and AI Application in ASEAN Press Agencies and the Forum on National Media Information in ASEAN in the coming time, demonstrating Vietnam's proactive commitment and responsibility in the region's common efforts.

One of the concrete and memorable outcomes of the conference was the adoption of the “Bandar Seri Begawan Declaration to reaffirm the commitment of ASEAN Information Ministers to Strategic Advancement in Communications and Information”.

The statement highlights the need for a strong media infrastructure and sets out strategic directions to enhance the sector’s capacity to address emerging challenges in the digital age, including fake news, the impact of digital transformation, while empowering young people and promoting the creative economy.

In the context of a changing world and the constant development of digital technology, the ASEAN information and communications industry needs to strengthen cooperation and innovation to adapt to new trends. (Source: Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)

In addition, the Ministers also agreed to support the “Kuala Lumpur Declaration on the Safe and Responsible Use of Social Media Platforms for ASEAN”, demonstrating a strong commitment to building a safe, inclusive and responsible digital environment.

The conference also devoted time to meetings with partner countries within the ASEAN+3 framework. The Chinese side affirmed its long-standing cooperative relationship in many fields with ASEAN, encouraged the development of mutually beneficial fields, promoted digital transformation and built community trust for the common development of the region.

The Ministers also noted the completion of the Work Plan on Strengthening ASEAN+3 Cooperation through Information and Communications (2018-2025) and looked forward to further developing a new work plan. Cooperation with Japan and the Republic of Korea on specific projects such as the review of the ASEAN Information and Communications Strategic Plan, development of a new work plan, film production and capacity building was also highly appreciated.

At the end of the conference, ASEAN member countries expressed their deep gratitude to the Government of Brunei for the thoughtful and professional organization. The Ministers/Heads of Delegation had an audience with His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei Haji Hassanal Bolkiah immediately after the conference.

The 18th ASEAN Ministers on Information Meeting and related meetings are scheduled to be held in Cambodia in 2027.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/truyen-thong-quang-ba-ban-sac-thuc-day-hop-tac-va-hieu-biet-lan-nhau-tai-asean-313831.html