Ko Min Thaw Htut, executive director of the Eleven Media Group, is attending the board meeting of the Asian News Network (ANN), held in Beijing, China.

The meeting is being held for three days from September 4 to September 6, jointly organized by ANN and China Daily.

The ANN was established in 1999, with only seven members, seven countries, and currently up to 23 members and 21 countries. Eleven Media Group (EMG) joined the organization in 2013.

Representatives of 15 news entities in Asia emphasized the need for elevating cooperation to a new level and making Asia's voice heard, during the board meeting of the ANN on September 4 in Beijing.

The meeting marked the first in-person assembly of the leading regional news alliance since the Covid-19 pandemic, building new bridges for collaborative efforts among Asian countries and between Asia and the rest of the world.

The meeting decided to work toward setting up an independent newsroom with reputable professionals to make the ANN an independent news source for all its members, and for regional and global media in general.

The ANN was founded in 1999, and its members include news outlets not only from Southeast Asia but also elsewhere in Asia. ANN has become an official organization, and China Daily has been a member since 2000.

Qu Yingpu, publisher and editor-in-chief of China Daily, said in his welcoming remarks that the purpose of the meeting is to deepen ANN cooperation, enhance ANN story exchanges, jointly produce impactful videos, and organize enriching workshops and forums.

“These initiatives not only strengthen our ties but also amplify our voices to resonate across Asia, and even globally,” he noted.

Qu reminded that media organizations in Asia face common challenges. “We face the daunting task of not just reporting news but interpreting it in a way that is relevant, respectful and resonates with our diverse audiences.”

Members of the ANN are The Daily Star (Bangladesh), Kuensel (Bhutan), Brunei Press (Brunei), The  Phnom Phen Post and Ramsei Kampuchea (Cambodia), China Daily (China), The China Post (Taiwan), Data Leads and The Statesman (India), The Jakarta Post (Indonesia), The Japan News (Japan), Vientiane Times (Lao), Sin Chew Daily and The State Online (Malaysia), Gogo Mongolia (Mongolia), Eleven Media Group (Myanmar), The Kathmandu Post (Nepal) , Dawn(Pakistan), Philippine Daily Inquirer (the Philippines), The Straits Times (Singapore), The Korea Herald (Korea), The Nation (Thailand) and Vietnam News (Vietnam).  The ANN member countries annually hold their board meeting in turn.