In this era of tumultuous geopolitical uncertainties and conflicts, the pivotal role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ and China’s media in shaping global narratives and perceptions cannot be overstated.

During my interactions with journalists from ASEAN countries and China, I was struck by the glaring disparity in international media coverage. Despite the dynamic political conditions, socioeconomic progress and rich cultural diversity within the 10 ASEAN member states and China, global attention remains disproportionately focused on Western narratives. As an avid consumer of international news, I find myself more acquainted with American politics and economics, Hollywood gossip, and NBA headlines than with the vibrant political and socioeconomic developments in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar or Malaysia.

Beyond the lack of comprehensive news coverage and balanced analyses of ASEAN and China, why do we predominantly hear analyses from the G7 countries or perspectives rooted in Western ideologies?

To provide context, the combined population of ASEAN countries (around 660 million) and China (approximately 1.4 billion) constitutes a substantial portion of the global population (approximately 25 percent). Our large economies are among the world’s fastest growing. Yet, our voices and perspectives still struggle to break through the Western-dominated media sphere. The G7 countries (United States, Japan, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Canada, with a combined population of approximately 770 million), representing a fraction of the world’s populace (approximately 10 percent) and steadily declining share of the world economy, monopolize global news coverage and unfairly perpetuate a skewed portrayal of global events through a distinctly Western lens. North America (US and Canada, with a combined population of around 370 million) and Western Europe (Germany, the United Kingdom, France and Italy, with a combined population of approximately 280 million), accounting for approximately 8 percent of the world’s population, wield disproportionate influence in shaping global narratives through their media conglomerates.

These statistics underscore the demographic significance of China and ASEAN countries on the global stage, highlighting our potential to reshape global narratives and perspectives. Yet, entrenched biases and historical legacies continue to skew global media coverage in favor of Western viewpoints.

Despite these challenges, there is cause for optimism. Nations like Singapore, China and Qatar have made significant strides in internationalizing their media presence, offering alternative narratives and perspectives that challenge traditional Western dominance. Yet, much remains to be done to amplify ASEAN’s and China’s voices on the global platform.

The ASEAN China Media Cooperation Forum serves as a pivotal platform for fostering collaboration, brainstorming, and innovation among our media practitioners. It is imperative that we harness our collective strengths to innovate boldly and engage dynamically with global audiences. This requires not only reporting ASEAN and China stories accurately, engagingly and authentically, but also analyzing global events through the prism of our distinct Asian cultural values and perspectives.

To achieve this vision, we must leverage technology, digital platforms, cultural resources and strategic partnerships to expand our global footprint. By enhancing our storytelling capabilities and adopting innovative approaches, we can captivate audiences worldwide with narratives on a deeper cultural and human level. In doing so, we can hopefully dismantle barriers of age-old cultural biases and misinformation about Asia, paving the way for a more-inclusive and balanced global media coverage.

In this new multipolar world of the 21st century, let us commit ourselves to shaping a better future where ASEAN’s and China’s media stand as important sources of global discourse, offering insights that enrich, enlighten, and promote Asian ideals of harmony and multilateralism. Together, let us embrace this new era of ASEAN and China media cooperation with vigor and determination, ensuring that our voices reach across continents, fostering mutual understanding and respect among nations.

For ASEAN and China, this is our moment to redefine global media dynamics and assert our rightful place in shaping the narratives of tomorrow.

The author is an award-winning columnist of Philippine Star and Abante, a real estate entrepreneur, economics and politics analyst.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.