On 12 November 2020, the ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Forum on Online Audio-Video Industry was held in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. The forum was hosted by the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) of China and organised by Sichuan Radio and Television Bureau and Sichuan Radio and Television. Mr. Yan Chengsheng, Deputy Director-General of the International Cooperation Department of NRTA，Mr. Chen Junjie, Counsellor of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, Mr. Chen Dehai, Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), Ms. Kijima Yoshiko, Minister of Embassy of Japan in China, Mr. Kim Sang Hyun, Director of Korea Creative Content Agency’s Beijing Business Centre attended and addressed the forum. Mr. Martin Andanar, Secretary of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) of the Philippines and Mr. Kem Gunawadh, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Information of Cambodia delivered remarks via video. The event gathered around 80 participants including government officials, representatives from audio-video industry and media of ASEAN Member States (AMS), China, Japan and ROK.

Deputy Director-General Yan Chengsheng stated that there is huge market space for APT cooperation in online audio-video channels, content, technology, capital and talents. All parties should seize the opportunities, and deepen practical cooperation to realize high-quality and common development of the online audio-video industry. He put forward a few points of suggestions, including strengthening policy communication for better governance, enriching content for the benefit of people on the receiving end, and promoting technical exchanges and cooperation to boost the economic and social development of APT countries. China is ready to work with all parties to build APT cooperation in online audio-video industry into a new engine for regional exchanges and cooperation, and make greater contributions to lasting prosperity and stability in the region.

Counsellor Chen Junjie said that since its setting-up more than 20 years ago, the APT cooperation mechanism has grown into one of most full-fledged and fruitful mechanisms in Asia, making important contributions to regional peace, stability, development and prosperity. It is hoped that all participants could build consensus, pool wisdoms and join efforts through the forum, take full advantage of online information spreading, which is wide in scale, fast in speed and flexible in forms, to create more high quality audio-video works with positive energy favored by the peoples, and present East Asian countries’ stories on promoting peace, solidarity, development and cooperation to lay a solid foundation for sustained and steady progress in East Asia cooperation.

Secretary-General Chen Dehai pointed out that the development of such technologies as 5G, big data, cloud computing, AI, internet of things and virtual reality has brought profound changes to the traditional media industry. The fast-growing online audio-video industry is now taking the lead in international communication. The need and potentials for cooperation in this field have been further unleashed. APT countries should keep abreast of the development of new technologies and meet people's growing demand by promoting policy dialogue and institution building, strengthening supervision and guidance, and actively adapting to the development trend of new media, so as to realize the common development in online audio-video industry, create a favorable public opinion environment for the development of relations among APT countries, and make greater contributions to regional prosperity and people's well-being.

 

Minister Kijima Yoshiko and Director Kim Sang Hyun respectively briefed on the development of the online audio-video industry in Japan and ROK as well as their own governments’ incentive policies, and in the meantime made recommendations on international cooperation. They expressed willingness to work with other countries to continuously deepen international exchanges and cooperation in online audio-video industry.

The theme of the forum is to “Strengthen Exchanges and Mutual Learning and Deepen Industry Cooperation”. The participants held in-depth discussions on policy and regulations, business models, content creation and technology cooperation of online audio-video industry to map out blueprint of the industry development together and shared their perspectives, insights and experiences. They actively explored effective ways within the 10+3 framework to deepen practical media cooperation among APT countries and promote the development of the industry in the region in the context of global pandemic, and made pertinent recommendations. Mr. Arianto Surojo, Director of Information and Public Relations Division of ACC made a presentation at the subtheme session upon invitation.