PHNOM PENH, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Minister of Information Neth Pheaktra said on Thursday that information integrity is crucial for peace, stability, harmony, and sustainable development across the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) region.
Speaking in Phnom Penh at a media forum on combating fake news in LMC countries, Pheaktra noted that achieving information integrity requires active collaboration among governments across the region.
"Information integrity strengthens public trust, which in turn fosters social harmony and regional confidence," he told the audience of approximately 200 participants. "Mutual trust provides an essential foundation for peace, stability, and sustainable development."
The minister warned that false or misleading information now crosses borders, languages, and platforms in seconds. Manipulated media can reach millions before it can be verified, while rumors often exploit information gaps during crises.
Consequently, he said, information integrity is no longer just a media-sector issue, but is deeply tied to public trust, social harmony, effective governance, national resilience, regional confidence, peace and sustainable development.
Kan Pharidh, a secretary of state at Cambodia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, noted that while rapid digital transformation and advances in artificial intelligence offer tremendous opportunities, they also amplify the threats of fake news, misinformation, and disinformation.
"If left unaddressed, these challenges can erode public trust, undermine institutional credibility and social cohesion, and adversely affect regional peace, stability, and cooperation," he said.
To safeguard the LMC region's development, he stressed the need for stronger collective action within the LMC framework.
Pharidh emphasized that modern societies require timely, reliable information, professional journalism, and trustworthy media institutions that uphold integrity and foster mutual understanding. ■