Jakarta. Senior journalists and editors from 10 countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and Asia’s three giants — China, India and Japan — have gathered in Jakarta to work out solutions to growing geopolitical problems in the Asia Pacific.
The new forum is called the Japan-Asean Media Forum and was established to gather media people from around the region.
“The forum was established for media brainstorming, to seek solutions for problems that are happening in Asia at large,” said Endy Bayuni, senior editor at the Jakarta Post.
“This is also a response from media companies to significant changes caused by the rivalry of the world’s two largest economies, the United States and China, in their effort to influence the region,” Endy added.
“We can already see the significant changes in the region as China becomes stronger and the United States grows less competitive,” Endy said. “This is a way for media in Southeast Asia to push for a more peaceful and conducive Asia.”
Two issues that the forum discussed included developments in the South China Sea and the Asean Economic Community.
Columnist Hiroyuki Akita, of the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, focused on the growing suspicion among countries like China, Japan and the United States amid the disputes in the East China Sea.
Meanwhile, India Today bureau chief Ananth Krishnan pointed out the opportunities China’s rapid economic development can provide to countries all over Asia.
Isami Takeda, coordinator of the Japanese-Asean Media Forum, said the forum aims to strengthen relations between media in Japan and Southeast Asia but also plans to cover global issues in the coming years.
Takeda added the Japan-Asean Media Forum also hopes to generate public awareness of online and offline information.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla welcomed the chief editors from the forum in his office on Monday.
The panel of editors included Primus Dorimulu, editor-in-chief of Investor Daily, Suara Pembaruan and Beritasatu.com, and Bambang Harymurti, chief executive officer of Tempo Inti Media.
The next meeting will be held in Bangkok, next year.
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Source: Indonesia
