ASEAN Propaganda: Connecting People, Spreading Values

After nearly six decades of development (1967-2025), the ASEAN Community has emerged as one of the most successful models of multilateral cooperation in the world.

Ambassador Tran Duc Binh attends a meeting to prepare for the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM 58) and related meetings on July 7 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Photo: Bao Chi)

In this integration process, the media plays a role as a bridge between policy and practice, between ASEAN and its people. Not only a means of transmitting information, media about ASEAN is also a driving force to spread common values, contributing to enhancing regional identity and nurturing community awareness.

New requirements in new context

The region and the country are entering a new phase of development. The ASEAN Community Vision 2045 sets out a long-term orientation to enhance the region’s resilience and strategic autonomy. Vietnam is also striving to realize its aspiration to develop a strong, prosperous and happy country in the new era.

Resolution No. 59-NQ/TW of the Politburo on international integration in the new situation and the ASEAN Communications Master Plan Phase II (ACMP II, 2016–2025) both set out specific requirements for promoting integration and enhancing propaganda and promotion of ASEAN.

In this context, the task of communication becomes more important than ever. This requires new approaches, creative content and more flexible and effective implementation methods, so that ASEAN is present vividly and closely in people's lives.

Bringing ASEAN closer to the people is a joint effort of the entire Community. (Source: asean.org)

Transforming thinking

The ASEAN Community was built with the desire to bring peace , stability and development to the region, while placing people at the center of the cooperation process. However, for many people in the countries, ASEAN is sometimes still a distant concept, associated with summits or policy documents. It can be seen that the role and benefits that the ASEAN Community brings are sometimes not clearly present in daily life.

To bridge that gap, communication requires a drastic change in thinking and approach. Not just policy storytelling, but inspirational communication helps people understand that they are not outside of ASEAN, but are the center, the beneficiary and also the subject contributing to building the Community. When people see their role, they will be willing to accompany, support and participate.

A closer ASEAN

At the same time, to make people interested in ASEAN, the media content needs to be specific, practical and related to things close to life. These could be job opportunities in the region, visa-free travel between countries, scholarships and student exchanges, joint startups or environmental cooperation, digital transformation... Those achievements will be more easily perceived by the public if told in everyday language, through stories of "real people, real events" instead of relying only on data or political statements.

Effective communication cannot be general, but needs to be “the right person, the right way” – from people, businesses to youth, women or the disadvantaged. Each group has its own way of receiving, so the message also needs to be flexible and close to reality. When people feel the presence of ASEAN in their daily lives, their interest will grow and their social awareness will deepen.

Communication about ASEAN should innovate its form and make the most of digital platforms. (Source: ERIA)

Multimedia communication

Media about ASEAN should innovate and make the most of digital platforms. Traditional media continue to play a role in guiding public opinion and providing in-depth analysis. Meanwhile, social media, short videos, podcasts, infographics, etc. help spread information quickly and effectively, especially among young people – who account for more than one-third of ASEAN’s population.

Platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube need to be creatively exploited. At the same time, it is also necessary to continue promoting the role of foreign press and the network of Vietnamese representative agencies abroad. Integrating ASEAN content into professional programs, internal communications, and policy dialogues also helps information spread in a more interdisciplinary, synchronous, and natural way.

Professional propaganda team

The effectiveness of communication depends largely on the quality of the team. To make information about ASEAN vivid and relevant to life, communicators need to be professional, knowledgeable about ASEAN, understand public psychology and be proficient in using modern technology.

Being equipped with storytelling skills, mastering digital platforms and understanding the regional context are the foundations for communicating about ASEAN more closely, attractively and effectively.

ASEAN Tourism Forum in Indonesia in February 2023. (Source: VGP)

Synchronized media ecosystem

ASEAN communication should be organized as a unified ecosystem, operated sustainably and with close coordination among sectors, localities and management levels.

Relevant ministries and branches should also take specific steps, apply new methods, provide faster, more updated information, and be closer to people's lives and needs.

Bringing ASEAN closer to the people is a joint effort of the entire Community, of all sectors and levels, including the media. This is a long-term but urgent task, requiring innovation in both thinking and working methods, so that ASEAN becomes more and more practically present in the daily lives of the people.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tuyen-truyen-asean-gan-ket-nguoi-dan-lan-toa-gia-tri-323647.html