KUNMING – Media leaders, journalists and communication experts from South and Southeast Asia gathered in Kunming for the South and Southeast Asian Media Network Annual Meeting 2026, where they pledged to deepen regional cooperation, promote cultural exchange and strengthen collaborative storytelling through media partnerships and technological innovation.
The annual meeting brought together representatives from more than 170 media outlets, news organizations and think tanks, highlighting the growing influence of the regional media alliance since its establishment in 2024. The network was jointly initiated by the Yunnan International Communication Center for South and Southeast Asia and China Daily Asia Pacific.
One of the highlights of the meeting was the inspiring story shared by Dinh Thuy Dung, a Vietnamese-Chinese bilingual broadcaster, who said her career was shaped by the influence of Chinese culture. Coming from a small village in Vietnam, Dung recalled that her interest in learning Chinese began after listening to a Chinese pop song. “It was the first time I felt the charm of the Chinese language, and it sparked my desire to learn Chinese,” she told participants. She said learning the language enabled her to take part in exchange programs, travel abroad and eventually become a Vietnamese-Chinese bilingual broadcaster. Through her work, she now introduces Vietnam’s culture, landscapes and people to Chinese audiences while also sharing China’s culture and stories with people in Vietnam. Her personal journey reflected the meeting’s broader goal of promoting mutual understanding and strengthening people-to-people ties across the region.
Addressing the gathering, Zeng Yan, head of the Publicity Department of the Yunnan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, said that amid accelerating global changes and increasing uncertainties, China remains committed to building a community with a shared future for humanity and contributing Chinese wisdom and solutions to global challenges while promoting a more just and reasonable international order. She highlighted President Xi Jinping’s Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, Global Civilization Initiative and Global Governance Initiative, saying they provide important guidance for addressing global challenges and advancing international cooperation.
Zeng noted that since its launch, the South and Southeast Asian Media Network has expanded its membership, improved its operational mechanisms, established a liaison office, released annual work plans and promoted practical cooperation among member organizations. She said Yunnan’s geographical proximity, long-standing people-to-people ties and shared cultural heritage with South and Southeast Asian countries create countless stories worth telling. She called for stronger cooperation in artificial intelligence-assisted news production, multilingual intelligent translation, cross-platform content distribution, short-video production and data journalism so that authentic, diverse and engaging regional stories can be produced more efficiently and reach wider audiences.
A major outcome of the annual meeting was the signing of more than 20 cooperation agreements covering joint media production, tourism promotion, academic exchanges and youth exchange programs. The agreements aim to create flagship regional projects with strong international influence while further strengthening collaboration among participating media organizations and institutions.
Speaking at the event, Zhu Baoxia, Deputy Publisher of China Daily, said the alliance has become an important platform for exchanges and cooperation that promotes regional connectivity and mutual learning among civilizations. She highlighted China Daily’s long-standing mission of bridging China and the world through initiatives such as the “Run with History” series, launched in 2019. The program has been held in historic cities including Bagan in Myanmar, Ayutthaya in Thailand and Luang Prabang in Laos, attracting more than 13,000 participants. Zhu said the initiative uses sports as a bond and culture as a vehicle to build a warm and practical platform for people-to-people exchanges. She added that under the Belt and Road Initiative and China’s four global initiatives, connectivity, trade relations and shared interests between China and South and Southeast Asian countries have continued to deepen, creating opportunities for open, inclusive and mutually beneficial development. She encouraged network members to further strengthen cooperation and contribute to regional prosperity.
Myanmar’s Information Minister Htin Linn Aung said technological advancement has brought nations closer together while also amplifying common regional challenges such as climate change, economic instability, public health threats and transnational security issues. He stressed that these challenges cannot be addressed by any single country alone. The minister also warned that the spread of misinformation and disinformation has the potential to create misunderstandings and undermine trust among nations. He emphasized that the media’s role extends beyond reporting news, saying journalists can serve as diplomats who strengthen friendship among nations, bridges that connect diverse cultures and partners that promote mutual understanding among people.
South and Southeast Asian Media Network Annual Meeting 2026 concluded with a strong commitment to expanding regional media cooperation, embracing technological innovation and enhancing cultural dialogue. Through new partnerships, artificial intelligence-driven journalism, youth exchanges and collaborative storytelling initiatives, participants reaffirmed their shared vision of using the media to strengthen regional connectivity, promote mutual learning among civilizations and foster lasting friendship and trust among the people of South and Southeast Asia.
