Rise of digital tech deepens China-Asean relations
THE rise of digital technology has helped the information and media sector to deepen the relations between China and Southeast Asian countries, allowing these countries to build a shared community and future together, according to senior officials attending the Asean-China High Level Media Forum held last week in Jakarta.
Asean secretary-general Lim Jock Hoi said in his keynote address that people-to-people exchange, cross-sectorial collaboration and furthering mutual understanding underpin China and Asean’s cooperation in the information and media sector.
Lim stressed the importance of digital technology, noting that more than 60 per cent of Asean residents are connected to the internet.
“Asean and China must take advantage of the growing digital connectivity to reach out to people and share with them the story of our way of life [and] aspirations [so that it] will develop better intercultural understanding and dialogue,” he said.
As an event celebrating the Asean-China Year of Media Exchanges this year, the July 24 forum highlighted connection for a better future in the digital age, said Chinese ambassador to Asean Huang Xilian.
Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed out in his congratulatory letter at the February opening of the Media Exchanges Year: “Chinese and Asean media could serve as messengers of exchanges, facilitators of cooperation, guardians of harmonious coexistence and good storytellers on peace and common development.”
“Today, Asean-China relations have entered a new phase of all-around development, providing media cooperation with broader prospects yet also with heavier responsibility,” he said.
Piti Srisangnam, director for academic affairs, Asean Studies Centre at the Bangkok-based Chulalongkorn University, said that media can help build a closer China and Asean community. But this can be done by solving the problem of fake news and hate speech.
Noel Ser v igon, Philippines’ permanent representative to Asean, said t he internet has helped t he traditiona l media industr y to broaden t heir audience reach and tra nsformed the way they produced content. He a lso focused on the media’s role in building closer ties bet ween Asean and China.
“The media’s role in bringing to light the tangible benefits of China-Asean relations to our people is an important task and important responsibility that calls for our support and attention,” he said.
In an interview held on the sidelines of the forum, Jose Ruperto Martin Andanar, secretary of the Presidential Communications Office of the Philippines, welcomed the collaborative and meaningful discussions between China and Asean.
“Having this dialogue strengthens our resolve to communicate properly and in spreading truthful information,” he told China Daily.
At the forum’s panel discussions, Aung Hla Tun, viceminister of information of Myanmar, said any media outlet should treasure professional ethics.
Professor Yu Qingchu, dean of School of Journa lism and Communication of Xiamen Universit y, said Asean and Chinese media have to r ise to misunderstandings of ten resulting from some biased and distorted reporting from some strong Western outlets.
As the digital divide persists and disinformation proliferates online, the grey area of internet regulation should be addressed, according to George A Apacible, a senior official from the Presidential Communications Operations Office of the Philippines.
Apacible and other panellists find t hat opportunities a lso emerge in a new era of connectiv it y and f urt her media collaboration will lead to better understanding and sharing, and to addressing the issue of fa ke news and disinformation.
Translators Association of China president Zhou Mingwei said in the concluding remarks that people-to-people exchanges and mutual collaboration can overcome barriers that cannot be overcome by technolog y, and coordination y ields strengt h.
Last week, ministeria l policy makers of these nations exchanged their v iews and steps at the High-Level Asean-China Media Cooperation in Ja karta.
National Radio and Telev ision Administration v iceminister Fan Weiping, who is a lso head of the Chinese delegation, said mutual cooperation is expected to be deepened comprehensively.
A five-year agenda could better enable the parties in audio-visual and related practices amid future challenges in technology and social changes, he said.
Asean Socio-Cultural Community deputy secretarygeneral Kung Phoak welcomed China’s support in leveraging information that will raise awareness on Asean developments and help foster a shared identity.
Deepening China-Asean partnership is important, he said, as 2020 will be designated as the Year of Asean Identit y and t he information and media sector has a cr ucia l role in defining the Asean identit y.