ASEAN, China and Japan agreed to deepen and expand cooperation in media and information, a joint statement said in Jakarta Thursday.

The statement was issued after separate consultative meetings between the information ministers of ASEAN and China, and ASEAN with Japan during the Ninth Conference of the ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information (AMRI) here in Jakarta.

The two-day conference began Thursday.

The statement said that ASEAN and China agreed to deepen their cooperation in the area of information and media according to the 2006-2010 work plan focusing on priority of human resource development, exchange of films and television program and setting up ASEAN and China information and media network.

The ministers noted that the on-going consideration of memorandum of understanding between the governments of the ASEAN member countries and the People's Republic of China which aims to enhance ASEAN-China cooperation through the exchange of information and media will be signed at a later date.

ASEAN and China also explored the possibility of developing capacity building program in rural areas through cooperation in the field of information and media, said the statement.

ASEAN and Japan agreed to expand future cooperation in media content development, broadcasting digitalization and emergency broadcasting systems, the statement said.

ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

(Xinhua News Agency May 25, 2007)