By Wan Muhammad Aslah Wan Razali
KUALA LUMPUR, April 12 (Bernama) — The ASEAN-China Media and Think Tank Forum held in the capital here on Friday is an important platform to strengthen cross-border communication channels, said Universiti Teknologi Mara Political and Social Media Analyst, Associate Prof Dr Sara Chinnasamy.
She said the one-day forum, themed “Strengthening ASEAN-China Cooperation”, jointly organised by the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) and Xinhua News Agency, was a strategic medium to strengthen regional cooperation in an increasingly dynamic global media landscape.
“I see this collaboration as a proactive effort.
“A mechanism for delivering authentic information is very important, especially in the reporting of disasters and global health crises,” she said on Bernama TV’s ASEAN Petang Ini programme, titled “Narratif-Rakyat: Jambatan ASEAN-China Baharu”.
The forum, held for the first time, brought together more than 200 participants from 160 media organisations, think tanks, government agencies and companies from Southeast Asia and China.
The forum opened up a space for discussion and the exploration of cooperation opportunities in the fields of digital innovation, artificial intelligence (AI), trade, economy and cultural heritage of regional members.
Sara, who is also co-founder of the Global Risk Journalism Hub, stressed that communication coordination must be the foundation of ASEAN-China cooperation, and not just relying on diplomatic relations.
This communication bridge is important because many reports in the region depend on foreign reporting, she said.
Sara also shared the findings of a four-year study involving Asia, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Australia, which showed that the highest number of fake news occurred in Asia, and they affect the effectiveness of communication during crises.
This situation, she said, often thwarted the delivery of authentic information during natural disasters and pandemics such as COVID-19.
Commenting on the use of technology in reporting, Sara called on ASEAN to emulate China in applying AI and modern communication technology for disaster and public health reporting.
If the ASEAN-China communication bridge could be standardised and emphasised, it would be an important step in strengthening the regional information delivery system, she said.
“This coordination will help in the effective dissemination of information related to political issues, disasters or pandemics,” she said.
Sara also emphasised ASEAN’s role as the only regional entity capable of voicing South Asia’s position on global issues such as the Palestinian conflict.
She touched on the role of the media in shaping public perceptions of China among ASEAN people and vice versa, while emphasising the importance of cross-country information coordination to avoid misconceptions.
“I believe this cooperation can eliminate negative perceptions and strengthen the flow of information between countries,” she said.
Meanwhile, Sara proposed the establishment of an ASEAN-China media centre to unify regional views, especially on economic and geopolitical issues.
She said this centre could act as a voice for ASEAN and China in presenting alternative views on global issues.
Sara said the foreign affairs and communications ministries need to play an important role as the main liaison in ensuring information conveyed to the people is authentic and accurate.
— BERNAMA
