Photo: Nararya S. Soeprapto, Deputy Secretary-General, ASEAN

The Eleventh ASEAN Plus Three (10+3) Media Cooperation Forum was held in Kunming, the capital of Southwest China's Yunnan Province, on the afternoon of September 17. Under the theme "Increase Inter-connectivity for Common Development and Shared Benefits," 13 representatives from mainstream media outlets across different countries delivered speeches or keynote speeches centered on this topic. Multiple media guests also engaged in on-site dialogues and exchanges on topics including "Foster New Growth Drivers and Share New Development Opportunities." Nararya S. Soeprapto, deputy secretary-general of ASEAN, delivered a video speech at the forum.  The following is the full text of the speech:

Excellencies, distinguished guests, colleagues from the media, ladies and gentlemen, 

On behalf of Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, it is a pleasure to join you via prerecorded remarks at the 2025 Media Cooperation Forum on the Belt and Road and the Eleventh ASEAN Plus Three (10+3) Media Cooperation Forum in Kunming. I thank the People's Daily and our Chinese hosts for convening this gathering around the timely theme of "Increase Inter-connectivity for Common Development and Shared Benefits."

This theme rightly highlights the media's central role in enabling dialogue, fostering understanding, and promoting constructive exchange across diverse societies. We meet at a moment of rapid technological change and dense geopolitical interaction. Media no longer simply report events. They shape perceptions, influence decision-making, and determine how communities respond to challenges. The interactive sessions planned for this forum to explore the media's role in the fluid international landscape, opportunities and challenges in the AI era, and regional collaboration and global communication, are therefore both timely and essential.

These discussions will help translate reflection into cooperation across governments, media houses, academia, and the private sector. For ASEAN, media cooperation is a practical necessity, grounded in shared geography, history, and mutual stakes in stability and development. A credible media system helps societies navigate crises, build social cohesion, and strengthen democratic and developmental outcomes. Our existing work on connectivity, people-to-people ties, and regional dialogue is amplified when media can operate responsibly, and collaboratively across borders.

While AI holds immense promise and potential, such as enhanced reporting, accelerated verification, broader access to information for underserved communities, and enabling immersive storytelling that brings citizens closer to policy processes, it also presents critical challenges that demand our attention, scrutiny, and careful navigation. Without proper oversight, it can amplify bias, discrimination, and privacy concerns. Generative AI raises issues like misinformation, deepfakes, and cybersecurity threats, as well as enabling the spread of bigotry, perpetuating bias, threatening privacy, and creating commercial incentives that prioritize attention over truth.

These challenges underscore the need for strong governance and ethical guidelines to ensure AI aligns with societal values and goals, maximizing the benefits of AI while mitigating its associated risks. ASEAN is intensifying its collective efforts to advance the responsible and ethical use of AI across the region. In 2024, ASEAN launched the ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics.

Building on this in 2025, we expanded the guide with the supplementary framework on generative AI and finalized the ASEAN Responsible AI Roadmap (2025-2030) to provide actionable steps for member states in implementing responsible AI practices. Recognizing the transformative potential of AI is shaping the region's future. A declaration on the establishment of the ASEAN AI Safety Network will be submitted for adoption at the upcoming 47th ASEAN Summit in October 2025.

Therefore, we must strengthen ASEAN's coordinated efforts to ensure the safe and responsible development and deployment of AI across the region.

Your excellencies, distinguished guests, colleagues in the media, ladies and gentlemen, in supporting the vitality and potential of the 10+3 cooperation mechanism, and in line with the forum's focus on strengthening Asian consciousness and applying oriental wisdom to regional and global challenges, I offer three interlinked proposals grounded in our shared values of balance, harmony, a long-term perspective, and collective responsibility.

First, we must deepen regional cooperation on media integrity and AI governance. ASEAN and our 10+3 partners should promote interoperable standards for content verification, enhance transparency in algorithmic decision-making, and establish cross-border fact-checking networks. Such mechanisms must respect national contexts while allowing for rapid collaboration when misinformation threatens regional stability or public health.

Second, we need to invest in capacity building and media literacy. Journalists, editors, and media technologists require training in AI tools, ethical reporting, and platform governance. Furthermore, citizens, especially youth, must be equipped with critical media literacy skills to recognize manipulation and participate constructively online. The week-long media workshop following this forum presents an excellent opportunity to convert dialogue into practical skills, joint projects, and lasting partnerships.

Third, we must put people at the center of technological adoption, guided by oriental wisdom. We should pursue a human-centered approach to AI in media, one that emphasizes human dignity, inclusiveness, and the public interest.

This means supporting independent journalism, protecting data privacy, ensuring marginalized voices can access digital platforms, and designing algorithms that serve pluralistic values rather than narrow commercial incentives. These actions are technical but also deeply political and cultural. They are tasks of trust-building. ASEAN's values of consensus, respect for diversity, and cooperative engagement offer a solid foundation for forging common approaches that enhance media credibility and social cohesion across our region.

In closing, ladies and gentlemen, ASEAN stands ready to engage constructively within the 10+3 framework and with broader partners. Let this forum and this interactive session catalyze initiatives to protect information integrity, empower citizens, and harness AI responsibly for the common good. By strengthening Asian consciousness and applying oriental wisdom to contemporary problems. We can build a more informed, resilient, and interconnected region.

I wish you a successful and productive forum. Thank you for your kind attention.