Pacific Island countries are keen to incorporate new technologies such as artificial intelligence into their media sector, according to Neville Choi, president of the Media Council of Papua New Guinea, as he shared his expectations for the 12th Global Video Media Forum (VMF) which opened in Quanzhou of east China's Fujian Province on Tuesday.
The two-day forum has gathered some 200 representatives from mainstream media and international organizations from over 60 countries and regions to the historic coastal city under the theme "Intelligence Without Frontiers, Vision Beyond The Horizon - Media's Role in Communication and Cultural Exchange."
In an interview with the China Global Television Network (CGTN) ahead of the event, Choi said that the Pacific is increasingly becoming a key region in a geopolitical context, and said that the media has a big role to play in telling this narrative properly.
"There's a lot being said about the Pacific, currently. There are a lot of geopolitical interests that surround the Pacific, because the Pacific is in such a strategic location. I think it's incumbent on the media to help educate our people as to where they sit and why there's such a focus on the Pacific at the moment," he said.
Turning his attention to intelligent technology, which is one of the key themes of this year's VMF, Choi singled out the impact of AI as being one of the most consequential developments of recent times, but said media outlets across the Pacific Islands are keen to explore its usage and harness its full potential.
"We are in an age of developing media technology. And in the Pacific, I think the biggest development that will change after social media is the advent of artificial intelligence (AI). Now, AI is something that we're treading carefully with. But we still see it, from the Pacific media's perspective, that AI will always be a tool. It's not a perfect solution to everything, but we are going to be using it as a tool. And that's how we are telling our media personnel in the region how to approach it. There are other countries in the world who have already gone on the path of incorporating AI into their news practices. Hopefully, we'd like to learn what new solutions they may be, or what new technology is out there at this video forum," he said.
Choi added he is hopeful the forum will help provide opportunities to deepen cooperation with China in the key technological field. "I think China has to be commended in the development of their media and the development of their technology. From our perspective, in the Pacific, we would like to see where we can fit in that technology development, what's available for us to tap into, and what really works for Pacific peoples," he said.
Choi also pointed to the significance of the forum being held in Quanzhou, a historic port city which was the starting point of China's ancient maritime Silk Road and was known as a major trading hub during the 10th to 14th centuries. He emphasized the importance of maritime trade for Pacific Island countries, who are all surrounded by the sea.
"Transcontinental trade has always been a trademark of the Pacific, even within Pacific Islanders themselves, our history shows that there has been trade and cultural exchange amongst our own countries in the Pacific. We would like to see that probably replicated on a global stage. And the fact that it's here, the forum is [being held] here in such a historical city, I think, speaks to the level of cultural exchanges that we can expect with China," Choi said.
The VMF is an annual professional journalism forum launched by the CCTV Video News Agency (CCTV+) in 2011, focusing on the latest video content communication and innovation trends, and providing a highly specialized, unique and interactive platform for domestic and foreign media peers.
Pacific Island media keen to explore new tech solutions: PNG media official
Pacific Island media keen to explore new tech solutions: PNG media official
Foreign diplomats and scholars are looking closely at this year's "two sessions", saying China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) will not only chart the nation's economic and technological priorities but also reshape global value chains.
The fourth session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the nation's top political advisory body, opened on Wednesday, followed by the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC) on Thursday. Together known as the "two sessions," these meetings offer a comprehensive view into China's development priorities.
Global observers emphasized that the 15th Five-Year Plan, a blueprint guiding the nation's economic, social, and technological priorities over the next five years, marks a decisive shift toward high‑quality growth anchored in advanced technologies, with ripple effects across the world.
"The two sessions will discuss China's five-year plan, which is heavily oriented toward China's major technological development. I believe this is important because it represents the new blueprint for China's economy, which is now oriented toward the renowned high-quality development, and this will undoubtedly impact the entire world. I think it is worth studying. This is very important for Latin America. It will help us integrate more intelligently into global value chains and into all aspects of the major development that China is promoting in iconic industrial sectors, such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and space development, where Latin America also has much to contribute beyond just commercial growth," said Gustavo Sabino Vaca Narvaja, former Argentine Ambassador to China.
"The two sessions are a major political milestone in China, and this year's gathering carries even greater significance as this year marks the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan. This plan represents not only a blueprint for China, but also a guide for other countries. Instruments like the five-year plan effectively provide greater certainty and predictability for the rest of the world," said Chilean scholar of international relations Ignacio Araya Heredia.
"This is a particularly important date, especially due to the fact that the next Five-Year Plan shall be positioned and we're going to see what its main elements shall be. Serbia, which has a very high degree of steel friendship with the People's Republic of China, can expect further assistance in identifying the most prominent areas of Serbian economy and being helped by its great partner, such as it has been done in the previous period, from one part with establishing the main infrastructure projects, but also reshaping the industrial sector of Serbia, not just Serbia, but the region as a whole," said Veljko Mijuskovic, assistant professor of the Faculty of Economics of the University of Belgrade.
Beyond the policy framework, experts also pointed to China's achievements in green energy and technological innovation as models worth emulating.
Tomasz Bielinski, adjunct professor at the University of Gdansk's Faculty of Economics, said the robotics displays at the 2026 China Media Group (CMG) Spring Festival Gala reflected China's broader push in technological innovation.
"I was really impressed about the robotics. I'm very impressed with Chinese development in the technological field, we can still make great deals with Chinese businessmen and we can cooperate together to use this technology for both the good of China and the European Union. I'm aware of the innovation especially in autonomous drive on the on the Chinese side," he said.
"We hope for more of China's economic cooperation, especially in trade and also in investment. Also, and the other focus, if I talk about the focus of the development, don't forget about the green energy. We know that China is great in the electric vehicle field. So because China's electric vehicles in Indonesia nowadays, since couple of years ago, are very, very popular," said Al Busyra Basnur, president of the Indonesia-China Friendship Association.
Observers see China's new five-year plan driving high-quality development, global tech shifts
