Beijing, December 03 (QNA) - The 57th Executive Board meeting of the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) kicked off on Wednesday in China's Hainan Province.

The State of Qatar participated in the meeting with a delegation led by HE Director-General of Qatar News Agency (QNA) Ahmed bin Saeed Al Rumaihi.

In his opening remarks, Xinhua News Agency President Fu Hua, underscored the importance of the topics and issues being discussed at the Executive Board's 57th session. He noted the major transformations in media content driven by rapid technological advancements and the expanding applications of artificial intelligence.

He highlighted the need for news agencies to actively adapt with these changes, which have begun to threaten some professions, and stressed the importance of strengthening their services in the face of the fast-paced development of AI and social media. He also noted that the Qatar News Agency has been decided to host the Board's next (58th) meeting in June 2026, followed by the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) for the 59th session.

For his part, HE Ahmed bin Saeed Al Rumaihi expressed in his address the agency's gratitude to OANA for its confidence in choosing Qatar to host the Executive Board's 58th meeting. He affirmed Doha's anticipation of welcoming participating delegations from across Asia and the Pacific and its commitment to delivering an exceptional session.

His Excellency emphasized that efforts, in coordination with partners, will focus on delivering an exceptional edition that reflects the expectations of the member agencies and aligns with the ambitions associated with this important event. He also stressed that Doha is positioned to serve as an effective platform for dialogue and the exchange of expertise, and as an ideal environment to support upcoming achievements.

During the meeting, Executive Board members reviewed a report on the memorandum of understanding signed earlier today between OANA and the Boao Forum for Entrepreneurs, aimed at strengthening communication and cooperation between the two sides.

Participants also approved the minutes of their previous meeting and discussed the organization's financial report and future activities.

They additionally considered a proposal to admit Mongolia's Montsame National News Agency as OANA's 13th member to fill its vacant seat. (QNA)