Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Photo: People's Daily

The 12th ASEAN Plus Three Media Cooperation Forum was held in Fuzhou, East China's Fujian Province, on November 4. Co-hosted by the People's Daily and the People's Government of Fujian Province, the forum was held under the theme of "Openness and Cooperation for Shared Development. Kao Kim Hourn, ASEAN Secretary-General, delivered video opening remarks at the forum. The full text of the remarks is as follows:

Warm greetings to all of you gathered in Fuzhou for the 12th ASEAN Plus Three Media Cooperation Forum. Though I join you virtually, I am pleased to be part of this gathering. I thank the People's Daily for bringing us together once again. And I thank our colleagues from China, Japan and the Republic of Korea for their continued support of this important platform for dialogue and cooperation.

ASEAN Plus Three remains one of the most substantive and enduring frameworks in our region. Over the years, it has advanced cooperation in many areas, from financial stability and public health to food security, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, media cooperation is a vital part of this partnership. As our ties deepen and our societies grow more interconnected, the media helps our peoples understand the opportunities, the challenges and the benefits of working together. That is why the focus of this forum is so timely: strengthening the vitality of the ASEAN Plus Three mechanism, deepening economic and trade cooperation, and promoting mutual learning among civilizations.

For many of our citizens, regional cooperation is not experienced through official documents or communiqués. It is experienced through the stories they read, watch and share. How those stories are told can shape whether ASEAN Plus Three is seen as a distant process, or as a partnership that makes a real difference in daily life.

With this in mind, I would like to highlight two areas for our continued cooperation in media and information.

First, we must continue to strengthen professional cooperation among media practitioners. Journalists across ASEAN, China, Japan and the Republic of Korea should be equipped to report on regional developments accurately, responsibly and with integrity, and with a clear grasp of the wider context. Capacity-building, personnel exchanges and joint reporting can all help build stronger professional networks and deeper understanding across our region.

Second, we must continue to promote trusted and responsible media in a fast-changing information environment. Media professionals have an important role to play. They can reflect diverse perspectives, safeguard privacy, and help the public distinguish credible information from misinformation and manipulation.

This responsibility has grown even more pressing with the rapid rise of artificial intelligence. AI is transforming how information is produced, distributed and consumed. It offers significant opportunities. But it also raises serious questions about trust, transparency, accountability and safety.

ASEAN is taking concrete steps to advance responsible AI governance. These include the ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics, the ASEAN Responsible AI Roadmap, and the ASEAN AI Safety Network.

Together, they reflect our commitment to harnessing the benefits of AI, while ensuring that its development and use remain responsible, safe and centred on people.

In the media and information sector, ASEAN has embarked on a new 10-year work plan. It aims to promote information accessibility, strengthen information integrity, and adapt skilfully to the challenges of digital transformation and AI.

ASEAN will also seek to develop a new work plan with the Plus Three countries for this sector, to enable stronger partnerships and cross-cutting collaboration.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

As we look ahead, the ASEAN values of consensus, respect for diversity and cooperative engagement will continue to give us a strong foundation.

We value this forum as a contribution to our wider efforts to realize the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, and to build a region that is resilient, innovative, dynamic and people-centered.

I encourage all participants to make full use of this forum to exchange experiences, strengthen professional networks and explore practical areas for further media cooperation across ASEAN Plus Three.

I wish you all a productive and successful forum.

Thank you.