The AMRI Vision Statement ASEAN 2035 highlighted the vital role of media in promoting ASEAN’s resilience and adaptation, as reported by Viet Times.
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| Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Thanh Lam (left) at a press conference on September 23 (Photo: Tran Ngoc). |
“Ministers strongly affirmed the role of information and communications in the new era as information transforms into knowledge and lifelong education, while digital awareness improves among ASEAN citizens,” stated Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Thanh Lam at a press conference on September 23.
Ministers also called for regional cooperation with all relevant stakeholders, including ASEAN Dialogue Partners, academic institutions, and private sectors, to promote the social responsibility of cross-border digital media platforms, as reported by Vietnam News. The whole-of-ASEAN approach will benefit capacity building for media professionals, digital literacy and lifelong learning, and the sharing and consumption of accurate information.
One of the highlights of AMRI 16 is the “Da Nang Declaration on ‘Media: From Information to Knowledge for a Resilient and Responsive ASEAN’”. The Declaration recognizes the pivotal role of media in contributing to the goal of a knowledge-empowered citizenry, promoting knowledge acquisition as the impetus to foster a resilient and responsive ASEAN Community. It also promotes an ASEAN Identity toward social cohesion and deepens a sense of regional belonging.
Furthermore, ASEAN members and partners must collaborate to create a positive cyberspace environment by improving digital capacity, promoting trustworthy information sources to build trust, shape public opinion, and enhance digital skills for ASEAN citizens.
The conference also adopted the Government Information Management Guidance on Countering Fake Information and Disinformation in the Media. Ministers endorsed guidelines on the management of government information in combating fake news and disinformation in the media, providing a framework for governments to respond to false or misleading information disseminated in the media or on social media platforms.
Regarding ASEAN cooperation with the Plus Three Countries (China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea) in information and media, significant agreements were reached. The conference encouraged ASEAN and the Dialogue Partners to enhance capacity building for media professionals and the sharing of expertise and technical knowledge in utilizing digital technology in media production to capitalize on opportunities arising from digital transformation.
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| An AI television program is developed by Viettel – a leading information technology company in Vietnam (Photo: Cong Thanh). |
The ASEAN members expressed their appreciation for China’s efforts to strengthen ASEAN-China cooperation and new initiatives to further enhance cooperation between ASEAN and China. They also looked forward to Japan’s support in reviewing the ASEAN Strategic Plan for Media and Information (2016-25) and developing a new Work Plan for ASEAN’s media and information sector. The regional member states appreciated the initiatives by the Republic of Korea to advance cooperation with ASEAN in the information and media sector, sharing experiences of disinformation response and AI technologies in the media sector.
These contents align with the extension of the work plan on enhancing ASEAN Plus Three cooperation through information and media until 2025.
Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Thanh Lam affirmed that Vietnam and ASEAN members, along with the Dialogue Partners, will proactively take joint actions to foster unity and solidarity in building a robust regional information and media industry.
“We will request digital platforms to comply with the laws and Code of Conduct in each ASEAN country regarding sensitive information. Vietnam also included the role of ethics for digital media in the joint declaration, as well as moral responsibility standards for digital platforms in business and advertising services,” stated Lam.
