Cambodia and China's Yunnan Province Discuss Implementation of Media Cooperation MoU

The Ministry of Information of the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Yunnan Provincial Publicity Department of the People's Republic of China held bilateral talks in Phnom Penh to promote the implementation of their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the information and media sector. The Cambodian delegation was led by H.E. Prak Thav Amida, Undersecretary of State, while the Chinese side was led by H.E. Zhen Ye, Member of the Standing Committee of the Yunnan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China and Director of the Publicity Department. During the meeting, H.E. Prak Thav Amida expressed his profound gratitude to the Yunnan Provincial Publicity Department for its consistent attention, support, and excellent cooperation with the Ministry of Information of Cambodia. He highlighted the department's contributions to strengthening Cambodia-China friendship, information exchange, promoting culture and tourism, and fostering mutual understanding between the peoples of the two countries. He further stated that the cooperation between the Ministry of Information of Cambodia and Yunnan Province is a significant part of promoting understanding, trust, public support, and showcasing the achievements of cooperation between the two nations. H.E. Prak Thav Amida recalled that in December 2024, the Ministry of Information of Cambodia and the Yunnan Provincial Publicity Department signed an MoU on cooperation in the information and media sector. This MoU aims to promote timely and quality information exchange between Cambodia and China, particularly with Yunnan Province, as well as to build human resource capacity, exchange experiences, and support cooperation among technical units under the purview of both parties. To transform this MoU from a principled document into concrete implementation, the Ministry of Information of Cambodia has prepared a project proposal for the Yunnan side's review and discussion. This proposal is considered a roadmap for the effective and measurable implementation of the MoU, benefiting the peoples of both parties. The Cambodian Ministry of Information's proposed project focuses on four key components: 1) Exchange visits and cooperation between media outlets to provide opportunities for journalists, managers, and technicians from both sides to study, exchange experiences, and establish specific working relationships. 2) Training for journalists, program producers, and technical officials, especially in modern content production, multi-platform dissemination, news verification, and timely response to fake news. 3) Development of Cambodia's media system, particularly the modernization of the AM broadcasting system of the National Radio of Cambodia. 4) Production and exchange of joint news and broadcast programs to promote Cambodia-China friendship, Cambodia-Yunnan cooperation, economic potential, culture, tourism, and development achievements of both parties. Among these components, the Ministry of Information of Cambodia has placed significant emphasis on modernizing the AM broadcasting system of the National Radio of Cambodia. H.E. Prak Thav Amida stated that the National Radio of Cambodia is a crucial public broadcasting channel for the Royal Government, providing official information, public education, promoting national culture, conveying important government messages, and serving citizens nationwide. He emphasized that despite the rapid advancement of digital technology, AM broadcasting remains vital for rural and remote areas, border regions, and emergency situations such as natural disasters, social crises, or the dissemination of urgent government messages. Therefore, modernizing this system is not merely a technical improvement but also an enhancement of the state's public broadcasting capacity, serving the interests of the people, and strengthening the resilience of the national information system. In this regard, the Ministry of Information of Cambodia has requested the Yunnan side to consider supporting the dispatch of technical expert teams to assess the AM broadcasting system of the National Radio of Cambodia, provide technical assistance and recommendations for system design, assess the possibility of supplying AM transmitters and related equipment, and facilitate training for engineers and technical officials in Cambodia or in Yunnan. Concurrently, the Ministry of Information of Cambodia also requested the Chinese side to continue strengthening cooperation in exchanging radio content, cultural programs, joint program production, publicizing Cambodia-China achievements, training, and capacity building in combating fake news, and developing joint technological tools for verifying and tracking fake news. In response, H.E. Zhen Ye expressed support for the Cambodian Ministry of Information's project proposal, assessing it as clear-directed and in line with the spirit and objectives of the MoU signed by both parties in 2024. She affirmed Yunnan's readiness to continue coordinating and exploring possibilities to support practical cooperation activities that meet the needs of the Cambodian Ministry of Information. H.E. Zhen Ye also urged the relevant specialized agencies of both parties to continue detailed discussions to identify priority activities, develop implementation plans, and establish clear schedules. This will ensure that the MoU is not just a framework document for cooperation but is transformed into practical programs, projects, and activities that yield effective and tangible benefits for both parties. Through this meeting, both parties will be able to set practical implementation directions to translate the MoU signed in December 2024 into actual practice and achieve tangible results. These outcomes will contribute to improving the quality and stability of the National Radio of Cambodia's broadcasts, expanding its reach to rural and remote areas, building the capacity of technical officials and journalists, producing joint Cambodia-China programs, and strengthening mutual understanding between the peoples of both nations. Both parties expressed a shared commitment to promoting Cambodia-China cooperation in the information and media sector to be more practical, effective, and responsive to the needs of public media development in the digital era. By: Kong Sirirat © All rights reserved by Agence Kampuchea Presse 2018