In this file photo, participants pose for a group photo at the Asia-Pacific Communication Forum 2020 (APCF2020) in the Hengqin venue. (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Well-known communication scholars and industry leaders in the Asia-Pacific region will gather on Oct 23 and 24 for a forum hosted by Macao to discuss the various risks and uncertainties the world is facing since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Asia-Pacific Communication Forum 2021, hosted by the Macao-based Asia Pacific Communication and Exchange Association (APCEA), will be an online event with various sub-venues in Macao, Shanghai, Beijing, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Zhuhai and the newly established Hengqin Guangdong-Macau Indepth Cooperation Zone. 

The Asia-Pacific Communication Forum 2021, hosted by the Macao-based Asia Pacific Communication and Exchange Association (APCEA), will be an online event with various sub-venues in Macao, Shanghai, Beijing, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Zhuhai and the newly established Hengqin Guangdong-Macau Indepth Cooperation Zone

The forum is part of Macao’s efforts to become a cultural communication hub in the Greater Bay Area.

Quickly establishing its reputation in the GBA, the annual conference which started in 2019 has received hundreds of paper submissions this year.

A dozen of parallel panels will be launched with participants from many universities in the mainland and the world.

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The communication landscape in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly the GBA, “encounters unprecedented opportunities for development and cooperation, providing a new academic field for international communication studies,” according to the organizer.  

Meanwhile, the Asia-Pacific Communication Forum Alliance (AFCFA), which was established during last year’s forum,  will “officiate” its three standing offices: the Shanghai Office (The School of Communication of East China Normal University), the Macao Office (Macau Association of Internet Research) and the Hengqin Office (APCEA).

The AFCFA’s founding members include Wuhan University, Beijing International Studies University, Jinan University, and Shaoxing Foreign Languages College. 

The Alliance is engaged in organizing and coordinating academic and training activities for communication and education institutions, media and non-profit organizations in the Asia-Pacific region. 

This forum will also launch the APCFA workshop of methodology to enhance the methodological exploration of Asia-Pacific communication research and improve scientific analysis capabilities.

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The first APCFA workshop this year has “New Approaches in Content Analysis: Traditional Methodology and Innovative Execution” as its theme. 

Th forum is sponsored by the Macao Foundation while its co-organizers include the Centre for Macau Studies, UM, and Macau Association of Internet Research.