ASEAN, China and Japan agreed to deepen and expand cooperation
in media and information, a joint statement said in Jakarta
Thursday.
The statement was issued after separate consultative meetings
between the information ministers of ASEAN and China, and ASEAN
with Japan during the Ninth Conference of the ASEAN Ministers
Responsible for Information (AMRI) here in Jakarta.
The two-day conference began Thursday.
The statement said that ASEAN and China agreed to deepen their
cooperation in the area of information and media according to the
2006-2010 work plan focusing on priority of human resource
development, exchange of films and television program and setting
up ASEAN and China information and media network.
The ministers noted that the on-going consideration of
memorandum of understanding between the governments of the ASEAN
member countries and the People's Republic of China which aims to
enhance ASEAN-China cooperation through the exchange of information
and media will be signed at a later date.
ASEAN and China also explored the possibility of developing
capacity building program in rural areas through cooperation in the
field of information and media, said the statement.
ASEAN and Japan agreed to expand future cooperation in media
content development, broadcasting digitalization and emergency
broadcasting systems, the statement said.
ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) groups
Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
(Xinhua News Agency May 25, 2007)