VietNamNet introduces the speech of Minister Nguyen Manh Hung at the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Ministers of Information Meeting (AMRI-16) held on September 22, 2023 in Da Nang.

Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung speaks at the opening ceremony of AMRI 16.

Vietnam is very honored to be the host country of the 16th ASEAN Ministers on Information Meeting (AMRI -16). We welcome you to Da Nang city, a city located in the middle of Vietnam. This city faces the sea. The sea is a symbol of cooperation and exchange. And cooperation and exchange are the core of ASEAN . And it is thanks to this spirit that ASEAN has become the center of growth of the world. And we, ASEAN member countries, are proud of that.

"We must create our new future based on digital technology, maintaining the core mission of media." - Minister Nguyen Manh Hung

Our information and communications sector is undergoing a revolutionary change. Digital technology is driving this change. The future is no longer an extension of the past. We must create our own future based on digital technology.

The way of doing things and the approach must be innovated, but the core mission of the media must still be maintained: providing information, raising awareness, disseminating knowledge, empowering people, serving development, enhancing understanding and solidarity among peoples and ASEAN member countries, and promoting the image and values ​​of ASEAN to the world.

We live in a world of information overload. People can be overwhelmed by too much information. We are suffering from “information obesity” due to the constant consumption of information, regardless of whether it is real or fake. Each of us spends no less than 6 hours a day consuming this amount of information. There is too much information, but knowledge and understanding are on the decline. Very few people understand what is behind the flood of information. Very few people find knowledge and create value from it. According to a report by the United Nations Economist Network, only a very small portion of information (0.5% in 2015) is processed.

"We are suffering from 'information obesity' due to constant consumption, regardless of whether it is real or fake information." - Minister Nguyen Manh Hung

In a volatile and unpredictable world like today, too much information can also cause confusion, insecurity, doubt, and loss of trust. The media now needs to bring new knowledge to adapt quickly, to use new technology for development and cooperation goals, to bring positive energy, and to nurture faith in a peaceful and prosperous future for ASEAN and the world.

The 2023 ASEAN Summit held in Indonesia on September 5 adopted the Declaration on Sustainable and Resilient Development, affirming the need to “overcome challenges through knowledge and information sharing, technical assistance, resource mobilization and capacity building initiatives.”

"The information and communication sector must transform from simply providing information and news to providing knowledge and understanding to people to help them survive in a volatile, unpredictable, complex and ambiguous world." - Minister Nguyen Manh Hung

This year’s ASEAN Information Ministers Meeting unanimously chose the theme: “Communication: From information to knowledge for a responsive and resilient ASEAN”. To respond quickly to change, we must quickly find new knowledge from the change. To be resilient and recover from a major collision or disaster, we must be equipped with new knowledge.

Therefore, our information and communication sector must transform from simply providing information and news to providing knowledge and understanding to people to help them survive in a volatile, unpredictable, complex and ambiguous world.

Social media today are platforms for creating and sharing information. New digital platforms need to become platforms for creating and sharing knowledge that is useful to people. Social media must become a society of information, of knowledge and understanding. Digital technology, especially artificial intelligence, is ready to create knowledge and understanding from information. However, we, the ASEAN leaders in information and communications, must lead this process.

Minister Nguyen Manh Hung received Malaysian Minister of Communications and Digital Affairs Fahmi Fadzil. Vietnam and Malaysia are accelerating digital transformation in the fields of journalism, radio and television.

Knowledge and understanding remain the most precious human qualities. Digital technology has helped create more information, but with the advent of deep learning, it can also help create knowledge and understanding of information. Knowledge and understanding will create a peaceful, developed, prosperous and happy ASEAN. The AMRI-16 Ministers of Information proudly declared the new mission of communications to create knowledge and understanding from information, thereby empowering people to be confident, master their destiny and happy.

"The ethical aspect of technology, the responsible use of technology, as well as the social responsibility of digital platforms and cross-border communication platforms need to be emphasized more than ever. And this is also the responsibility of the ASEAN information and communications sector." - Minister Nguyen Manh Hung

Humans are creating ever more powerful technologies. But the destructive power of technology is as great as its power to develop.

Therefore, the ethical aspect of technology, the responsible use of technology, as well as the social responsibility of digital platforms and cross-border media platforms need to be emphasized more than ever. And this is also the responsibility of the ASEAN information and communications sector.

Prior to this ASEAN Information Ministers' Meeting, based on Vietnam's initiative, ASEAN countries organized two forums to promote cooperation in digital transformation of journalism and combating fake news.

Digital transformation of journalism is about bringing journalism into the digital space. Journalism is important in the physical world and now it is even more important in the digital world. ASEAN media agencies have shared good practices in digital transformation and jointly developed guidelines on digital transformation in ASEAN journalism.

Knowledge of how to combat fake news is becoming increasingly important, helping to strengthen trust in the digital space. Along with fake news created by humans, artificial intelligence is now capable of creating highly authentic fake content, further complicating the information environment.

ASEAN countries consider this a priority in their information cooperation plan, and this year's Information Ministers' Meeting will also focus on discussions to enhance the effectiveness of coordination among countries in this field.

At the reception for the delegation of the Philippine Information Agency, Minister Nguyen Manh Hung shared about Vietnam's model of applying new technology to transmit information from the central level to each commune and ward level. In the photo: The delegation of the Philippine Information Agency took a souvenir photo with the Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communications.

The information and communication sector of ASEAN is taking on a new mission, proactively opening up new spaces to jointly contribute to building a peaceful and prosperous ASEAN Community. It is a change from information to knowledge and understanding.

At the forefront of this shift and success in this new mission will be the contribution of ASEAN countries to the world's information and communications sector.

In that spirit, I appreciate and sincerely thank the Ministers of ASEAN countries and dialogue countries, observer countries, for taking the time to come to the beautiful coastal city of Da Nang, to review and discuss the challenges and opportunities of digital media, orientation for media, orientation for ASEAN media cooperation in the coming years.

Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung