The recent China-Central Asia News Agency Forum in Astana was marked by the adoption of a landmark document – the Astana Consensus. This is not just a protocol statement, but a strategic roadmap designed to deepen media cooperation between China and the five Central Asian countries. In the context of rapid global transformations and an increasingly complex international situation, the Consensus has become a confirmation of a common vision, where the media is given a key role in building a “Chinese-Central Asian community of shared destiny”.

In the more than three decades since the establishment of diplomatic relations, ties between China and the Central Asian states have reached the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership. The media community, including representatives of leading agencies – Xinhua, the Television and Radio Complex of the President of Kazakhstan, Kabar (Kyrgyzstan), Khovar (Tajikistan), MEDIA TURKMEN and the National Information Agency of Uzbekistan – highly appreciated the results achieved in the exchange of news and contacts. However, the Astana Consensus calls for going further, turning the media into a real locomotive of public diplomacy and strategic rapprochement.

Media as a Vehicle for Integration and Justice

The Consensus clearly positions the media as a vehicle for integration processes. Forum participants emphasized that in a complex international environment, the media must join forces and coordinate their actions in order to:

• Promote international justice: In an era of information wars and contradictions, the media must be the voice of reason and objectivity.

• Advance global governance in a more equitable direction: This is an ambitious task that implies the active participation of regional media in shaping the global agenda.

• Strengthen cohesion and cooperation in the Global South: The Consensus reaffirms the desire to strengthen the voices of developing countries in the international arena.

The document calls for the active use of the News Agency Forum itself as a permanent platform for bilateral and multilateral humanitarian exchanges, organizing joint reports, seminars on professional exchanges and training programs. This will not only improve the skills of journalists, but also deepen mutual understanding between peoples.

Ethics in the Digital Age: Meeting the Challenges of AI and Disinformation

The Astana Consensus places particular emphasis on the challenges of the digital age and ethical standards in journalism. In the context of the rapid development of artificial intelligence technologies, the parties agreed to adhere to professional standards and provide the audience with reliable, objective and impartial information. This is a critical point: the Consensus opposes the use of AI to fabricate fake news and spread rumors, emphasizing the need to protect the credibility of the media and public trust in them. This approach demonstrates the awareness of the countries of the region of their responsibility for the formation of a healthy information space in conditions when it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish truth from fiction.

Economic Cooperation and Cultural Heritage

The consensus does not ignore the economic dimension. The parties expressed support for strengthening exchanges and cooperation in the field of economic information, including deepening interaction within the Belt and Road Economic Information Exchange Partnership and the establishment of joint media platforms on economic, trade and sustainable development issues. This shows how the media can directly contribute to the implementation of major infrastructure and economic initiatives.

In addition, the document emphasizes the development of the humanitarian dimension of cooperation through media contacts. This includes not only the exchange of content, but also the promotion of ideas of cultural continuity, joint study of the rich heritage of the Silk Road.

Turkmenistan's Contribution: From Ideas to Concrete Steps

As an active participant in the forum and a consistent supporter of the policy of positive neutrality and openness, Turkmenistan makes a significant contribution to the formation of a new media landscape in the region. The previously announced initiatives of MEDIA TURKMEN, such as the creation of a common multilingual platform, the establishment of a single media archive on cultural heritage, the stimulation of the production of joint media content based on the history and philosophy of peoples, as well as the proposal for a Regional Center for Media Cooperation, fit organically into the framework of the Astana Consensus.

These proposals not only reflect Turkmenistan's readiness for practical cooperation, but also emphasize its commitment to promoting the "Silk Road of the 21st Century" - now in the digital space. The emphasis on "greening" the agenda and the role of media in covering sustainable development also resonates with the general themes of the Consensus, demonstrating Ashgabat's comprehensive approach.

Transition from Declarations to Actions

The Astana Consensus is not just a set of principles, but a practical platform for systemic and mutually respectful cooperation in the media sphere. It confirms the relevance of regular professional dialogue and creates preconditions for strengthening the coordination of media strategies, promoting a balanced global discourse that takes into account the interests of the Global South, countering digital risks based on the principles of responsibility, reliability and ethics.

This document is an important step towards the formation of such an information space that will contribute not only to economic and political rapprochement, but also to deep cultural understanding between the peoples of Central Asia and China. It sets the tone for a new era of media diplomacy, where information becomes a powerful tool for building peace, stability and common prosperity in our dynamically changing world.

Bekdurdy AMANSARYEV,

Center for Strategic Studies, IIR of the MFA OF TURKMENISTAN