The board of the Asia News Network elected on Tuesday Zaffar Abbas, editor of the Pakistani newspaper Dawn, as the 21-member alliance's new chairman for 2016-17.

ANN editors also launched the organization's new website after the board meeting in Beijing, which was hosted by China Daily.

"I'm thrilled that ANN members elected me and Dawn as the new chairman," Abbas said.

"I think there is huge potential in this organization, and if we organize ourselves right from sharing the news to other endeavors - we can do wonders with quality journalism out of Asia."

Abbas will take over as chairman from China Daily publisher and editor-in-chief Zhu Ling.

The next board meeting will be held in Islamabad, Pakistan, next year. The date has yet to be set.