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Home Lao Chinese

Regional media cooperation forum opens in China

Chengdu, Sichuan province: The Tenth 10+3 Media Cooperation Forum kicked off on Sunday in Chengdu, Sichuan province, China on the theme of “An Open and Inclusive China in Asia’s Development and Prosperity.”
The forum hosted by Peoples Daily has attracted more than a hundred senior journalists and editors of media outlets from Asia, Asean member states and Asean plus three of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea.
Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Peoples Daily, Mr Fang Jiangshan said at the forum opening ceremony that “We need to seize this precious opportunity for various parties to come up with pragmatic measures for opening-up and cooperation, and use the advantages of the media to spread the story of the times of jointly promoting peace and development.”
He added the media should spread East Asian voices and stories, carry forward East Asian civilisation and confidence, promote East Asian development and prosperity, and build East Asian exchanges and mutual trust.

Participants gather at the opening ceremony of the Tenth 10+3 Media Cooperation Forum in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

Members of the standing committee and the head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Sichuan provincial committee, Gan Lin said Sichuan has carried out all-round and multi-level exchanges and cooperation with Asean countries and Japan and South Korea. It has also signed a series of major strategic cooperation agreements in the fields of economics, trade, culture, tourism, education, and media, and implemented several major investment projects to achieve mutually beneficial development in recent years.
Media cooperation plays an important role in promoting people-to-people connectivity. The in-depth exchanges and discussions we are conducting here will further enhance mutual understanding and trust, build consensus, consolidate friendship and achieve win-win results”, Gan said.
Other important guests such as Deputy Secretary-General of the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat, Ms Cao Jing; Secretary-General and Head of the General Office of Xinhua News Agency, China, Mr Gong Xixiang; Head of the Chinese Media Group at Singapore Press Holdings, Mr Lee Huay Leng; Member of the Editorial Board at China Media Group, Mr Liu Xiaolong; Chairman of Yangon Media Group, Mr U Ko Ko; and Director General of Lao Press in Foreign Languages, Thonglor Duangsavanh, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches.
The seminar was hosted by Peoples Daily and undertaken by the Information Office of the People’s Government of Sichuan Province and Sichuan Daily Press Group. More than 60 mainstream media outlets from ten Asean countries, six South Asian countries, China, Japan and South Korea, as well as over 150 representatives from the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat, attended the meeting. Participants held frank discussions on “Exchanges and Mutual Learning: Building an Asian Community of a Shared Future,” “Win-Win Cooperation: Creating Innovation-Driven Cooperation” and “Integrated Development: Promoting People-To-People Connectivity”, and reached a broad consensus.
Mr Thonglor said Chinese media outlets had played an active role in increasing their cooperation, not only with the media organisations of Asean Member States (AMS) but with other media outlets around the world, by inviting media representatives to visit China, share their views and write articles for their respective media publications.
Mr Thonglor’s gave the following address at the forum:
“In the digital age, it is difficult to stand alone as a superman, which would be for a short period of time and not wide-reaching enough, while super teams can be long-lasting and ensure sustainable development for progression and prosperity.
One publication is not sufficient to change the hearts and minds of people living at different stages of development and in different cultures and societies towards building a community with a shared future for mankind, even if it provides positive and constructive information.
I have observed that within the decade China has achieved its goals as one of the Asean dialogue partners to cooperate with media outlets of AMS and other Asean dialogue partners in sharing opinions at the 10+3 cooperation forums” Mr Thonglor explained.
Each year, China has a different theme, and this year it is an Open and Inclusive China in Asia’s Development and Prosperity and also marks the Asean-China Year of Media Exchanges.
At each media forum, China has invited Lao media personnel to share the country’s media developments with other delegates from AMS and the Asean dialogue partners of Japan and Korea, and these media exchanges have been highly productive.
The governments of Laos and China this year launched Visit Laos-China Year 2019.
This tourism promotion campaign has proved successful in driving up visitor numbers, and without campaigns, via media outlets, the people of Laos and China would not actively visit each other.
These activities have created a deeper understanding and greater awareness of Laos and China throughout media outlets as well as helping to strengthen media integration for closer people-to-people ties in East Asia.
The Media Cooperation Forum has made great strides over the past decades, which proves and guarantees our collective commitment and goals to enhance the Asean-China Strategic Partnership for peace, stability, prosperity and substantive socio-economic development.
I believe that media cooperation is a powerful tool in helping to create an even brighter future for the region, and cooperation in the media field will strengthen not only the media itself but all aspects of politics, economics and socio-culture.
As a result, the bilateral relationship has reached new heights, and many are now describing this as the ‘golden age’ of Laos-China relations. One of the most significant projects that Laos and China agreed to embark upon as part of the Belt and Road Initiative was the construction of the China-Laos railway, which runs from the Laos-China border to the Lao capital Vientiane. This railway will boost economic growth and transform Laos from a landlocked country into a land link.
Moreover, I believe that under the ‘One Belt, One Road initiative’ this millennium will provide you with limitless opportunities.”
Mr Thonglor also invited all delegates to experience and explore Laos through its many fascinating destinations. Laos has breathtaking landscapes, winding rivers and great natural beauty. The country can offer everyone a wonderful experience, and without doubt, you will take away long-lasting and treasured memories.
He also cited a Lao proverb that says, “When you’ve heard it you must see it; when you’ve seen it, make a judgment with your heart”.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) inscribed the Old Town in Luang Prabang as a World Heritage Site in 1995, followed by Vat Phou and Associated Ancient Settlements within the Champassak Cultural Landscape in 2001. In 2018 UNESCO officially recognised the khaen music of the Lao people as a form of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
This year, UNESCO added the Plain of Jars in Xieng Khuang province to its list of World Heritage Sites. The megalithic jar sites are the most prominent evidence of the Iron Age civilisation that made and used these vessels until the end of this era, around 500 CE.
Mr Thonglor concluded: “As a more united grouping, supporting one another, we can be a stronger force in delivering important messages to the rest of the world and making our voices heard.”

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update December 18, 2019)


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