Ninth 10+3 Media Cooperation Forum opens in Boao

The Ninth 10+3 Media Cooperation Forum opened on Monday in Boao, Hainan province, gathering around 100 media representatives to discuss new ideas and new focus for win-win cooperation in East Asia.

Since its introduction in 2007, the ASEAN and China, Japan and South Korea "10+3" media cooperation seminar, with People's Daily as the host, has adhered to enhancing friendship, strengthening exchanges, promoting cooperation and seeking win-win results, said Fang Jiangshan, deputy editor-in-chief of People's Daily at the opening ceremony. "With joint efforts of all, the 10+3 media cooperation seminar has developed into a unique link and an important platform for 10+3 friendly exchanges and cooperation, and has become a brand project of news media exchanges and the most widely representative cooperation project in the 10+3 cooperation framework," said Fang.

To date, 10+3 countries have achieved positive results in the cooperation in 24 fields. Regional economic integration is speeding up in the face of new uncertainties and uncertainties.

"Only by continuing to strengthen 10+3 cooperation, striving to build a harmonious East Asia with political mutual trust and coexistence, harmonious coexistence, mutual benefit and common development in economy, mutual aid and cooperation in security, mutual learning and common progress in culture, can we conform to the fundamental interests of the 10+3 countries and the people of all countries and meet the needs of the region," said Fang.

The mechanism is the main channel of East Asian cooperation. Only by taking the first step of regional economic integration can the overall strength and competitiveness of the regional economy be continuously enhanced, said Fang.

"Considering the fact that the global economy is still in a sluggish recovery mode and trade protectionism is on the rise across the world, it is imperative for Asian countries to develop its own new growth engine. Closer and stronger economic ties between ASEAN and CJK countries cannot be fully reached without better people-to-people exchange. During this process, media exchange is undoubtedly one of the significant factors influencing mutual understanding and trust because media is still playing as the main source of information of other countries. Communication is the most important and effective means to harmonize or reconcile existing gaps and building trust among different perspectives," said Lee Jong-hein, secretary general of Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat.

"I firmly believe that 10+3 Media Cooperation is a great platform building bridges not only between South East Asia and Northeast Asia, but also among all the stakeholders in the region. We need to have more and more this kind of event to provide enough opportunities for media people to meet each other, sit together, express ideas and reach mutual understanding. Focusing on the theme of 'media's mission in East Asian cooperation'," said Fang putting forward four points for consideration.

The coast line of Boao town, in Qionghai city, South China's Hainan province. [Photo/IC]