SHENYANG, China — Media leaders, digital content creators and government officials from the Southeast Asian region and China are calling for solidarity and collaboration in fighting disinformation.
The call to action was made at the 2026 Asean-China Media Cooperation Forum held on June 9 in Shenyang, the capital of China’s Liaoning Province.
Themed “Media Convergence for Shared Growth: Opening a New Chapter in Asean-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” the forum brought together more than 150 delegates from China and Southeast Asian nations.
The event also marked the 35th anniversary of Asean-China Dialogue Relations and the 5th anniversary of the Asean-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
First launched in 2018, the annual forum is co-organized by the China International Communications Group (CICG) and the Asean-China Centre (ACC).
As the global information landscape undergoes rapid transformation driven by artificial intelligence or AI, speakers emphasized that media organizations must seize digital opportunities while aggressively protecting public trust.
Prak Thaveak Amida, Cambodia’s Ministry of Information and Undersecretary of State, outlined three priorities for the region moving forward.
First is to strengthen information integrity by building regional frameworks for sharing experiences, exchanging early warnings on misinformation, and coordinating responses to cross-border falsehoods through fact-checking.
Second is inclusive capacity building by training content creators in digital safety and the ethical use of AI.
Third is using human-centered narratives that focuses on stories that are tangible and promote subjects like green innovation, trade, tourism and culture.
Chang Bo, president of CICG, reiterated these priorities, stating that media organizations must embrace technological convergence to support the upgrading of the regional media sector.
He noted that China’s rapid digital and intelligent transformation aligns seamlessly with the objectives of the Asean Digital Master Plan 2025 to establish the region as a leading digital community.
Bilateral trade data, meanwhile, highlighted the economic gravity that pulls China and Asean together.
Nararya Soeprapto, Asean deputy secretary general, said China has remained the Asean’s largest trading partner for 17 consecutive years, while Asean has ranked as China’s top trading partner for the past six years.
However, delegates said economic ties must be anchored on mutual and cultural connections.
“People-to-people connectivity is one of the most important elements in building a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Asean,” Soeprapto said. “People want to learn about one another through news and stories, and media serves as a crucial channel to spread these stories.”
Khammone Chanthachith, deputy head of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee’s Propaganda and Training Committee, noted that media cooperation is the foundation of trust among communities, and a bridge for sustainable regional development.
To ensure that the friendship between China and the Southeast Asian nations reach the younger audience, the ACC and the CICG jointly launched two major initiatives during the event.
These are the Asean-China Social Media Content Creators Programme and the 2026 Asean-China Youth Cultural Heritage Tour Series.
The initiatives aim to use the power of digital influencers who shape public opinion online.
Buji Babiera, a popular Filipino content creator with 3.8 million followers on TikTok, expressed his admiration for China’s rapid technological advancement and the efficiency of its AI ecosystem.
Babiera said he hopes that his vlogs will help his followers form an objective and rational perception that AI can be used productively and proficiently.
The event also featured two roundtable dialogues covering “Social Responsibility and the Media’s Mission in Our Times” and “Innovative Practice and Diverse Development in the Digital Age.”
Participants pledged to collectively advance sound public opinion, improve the global media ecosystem and respect the unique cultural perspective of each and every country.
The forum was flanked by several parallel practical initiatives, including the Asean-China Media Professionals Capacity Building Training Program, a specialized Media Dialogue, and an exhibition showcasing Liaoning Province’s rich intangible cultural heritage.
Following the main program, the international delegation attended the opening ceremony of the concurrent 2026 Liaoning International Friendship Cities Conference.
They concluded their visit with a series of field trips exploring municipal governance, sci-tech hubs and cultural tourism projects across the key industrial cities of Shenyang and Dalian.
