Shenzhen: Media leaders from across the Asia-Pacific gathered in Shenzhen, China's Guangdong Province, have called for closer collaboration and cooperation as the region becomes increasingly interconnected to ensure shared sustainable developments in the region.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, over 400 delegates from 42 countries and regions, including representatives from more than 200 mainstream media organisations, think tanks, embassies and consulates, UN agencies, and international organisations, gathered at the Asia-Pacific Media Forum hosted in Shenzhen. The gathering seeks to establish a regional media partnership programme aimed at promoting mutually beneficial cooperation among media organisations and creating a broader platform for professional exchanges and collaboration.
"This forum has provided a valuable platform for us to pool our wisdom and build consensus on cooperation," said Mr. Lyu Yansong, Editor-In-Chief of China's Xinhua News Agency. He emphasized the importance of moving forward together to tell a vivid story of mutual support within the Asia-Pacific family, thereby contributing to the steady, sustained growth of Asia-Pacific cooperation.
Via a video link, Ms. Melissa Fleming, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, opened the gathering by highlighting the role of the forum in fostering a healthier and better-informed public debate. She stressed the need for ethical, professional journalism that audiences can trust, which stands up for the vulnerable and delivers facts that cut through the noise.
H.E. Prak Thaveak Amida, Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Information of the Kingdom of Cambodia, expressed that the forum serves as a valuable platform for media leaders, government representatives, think tanks, business leaders, and other stakeholders to exchange perspectives on the shared regional future. He underscored the importance of an informed society supported by professional and responsible media as a foundation for inclusive development and constructive regional cooperation.
Xinhua, a co-host of the event, is one of 16 founding members of the Asia-Pacific Media Partnership Organising Committee. The committee is responsible for conducting consultations on procedural rules and activities under the framework. Cambodia is represented by the Agence Kampuchea Presse (AKP), under the Ministry of Information, on the organising committee.
The Shenzhen Consensus was launched at the forum, marking a broad agreement on advancing open cooperation, accelerating digital, intelligent, and green development, and strengthening collaboration among media organisations across the region. The consensus also emphasized a shared commitment to supporting multilateral trade, expanding artificial intelligence-driven solutions, fostering intercultural dialogue, and advancing prosperity across the Asia-Pacific.
From September 3 to 4, the forum held four sub-forums in Guangzhou, Dongguan, Zhuhai, and Shenzhen in Guangdong Province, providing international media, university lecturers, and researchers a glimpse of China's high-quality development.