Future Development： Young People's Perspectives

Delegates at the 10th China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week share their views on the future of relations between China and ASEAN countries

Crowds of young people were the most eye-catching part of the 10th China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week （CAECW） held in Guiyang， capital of southwest China’s Guizhou Province， on July 28. A series of events such as a “Chinese Bridge” ASEAN Youth Summer Camp， an ASEAN Students Friendly Football Match and a China-ASEAN Youth Forum on Future Development were held to allow ASEAN students to experience China and strike up friendship with their Chinese peers. Events such as these reflect the idea that young people represent the future of relations between China and ASEAN countries.

‘China Has Shaped Me’

At the CAECW opening ceremony， a Thai student by the name of Wasin Phromsurin captured the audience’s attention with a powerful speech. Phromsurin， a PhD student in Chinese Language and Literature at Peking University in Beijing， impressed attendees with his fluent Chinese.

As the first ever ASEAN student to deliver a speech at a CAECW opening ceremony since the event was first introduced in 2008， Phromsurin said he was quite nervous before taking the stage.

Phromsurin， who is not descended from Chinese immigrants to Thailand， grew up near a Chinese school in Thailand. He enrolled at the school at a young age and began studying Chinese， meaning that as of this year， Phromsurin has been studying Chinese for nearly 25 years. After graduating from high school， he enrolled as a Chinese major at Chiang Mai University （CMU） in northern Thailand. Phromsurin spent his third year of university in Beijing sharpening his Chinese language skills， which led to a dramatic improvement in his proficiency. Phromsurin even won first prize in the 10th “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign University Students in 2011.

After graduating from CMU， Phromsurin was granted a scholarship from the Confucius Institute Headquarters to come to China to study for a Master’s Degree at Peking University.

“As a Chinese language and culture enthusiast， I have made it my goal to learn the language well and use my knowledge to contribute to the friendly exchanges between Thailand and China，” Phromsurin said.

Earlier this summer， Phromsurin returned to CMU for a visit. As his command of the Chinese language has become so strong， a staff member at CMU mistook him for a Chinese tourist and told him he was required to register at the tourist reception desk.

So far， Phromsurin has been in China for six years. He has witnessed China’s fast economic growth， blossoming prosperity and contributions to world peace and development.

“China has shaped me， and I will use my knowledge to make contributions to exchanges between ASEAN and China in the future，” he said. Learning Chinese has helped him understand China and create opportunities for personal development. Phromsurin said he will pass on his knowledge， skills and positive energy — all of which he has learned in China — to more people. He hopes to become an envoy for friendly exchanges between China and ASEAN in the future.

During the 10th CAECW， Phromsurin was also an attendee at the “Chinese Bridge” ASEAN Youth Summer Camp， joining more than 300 young people and teachers from 15 Confucius Institutes in nine countries. During the week-long event， the attendees came together to study Chinese language， shadowboxing， calligraphy and Chinese paper cutting.

Envoy of Friendly Exchanges

“Good neighborliness and friendship are mutually beneficial， and we should be good neighbors to one-another， regardless of color or religion，” reads an excerpt from a poem entitled China-ASEAN： Our Bright Future， both written and read aloud by Malaysian student Low Shiang Yii at the China-ASEAN Youth Forum on Future Development （CAYFFD）， which was organized by China Scholarship Council. An excerpt reads： “A bright future is a common aspiration of all mankind. ASEAN and its brother China will join hands to build a platform to cultivate more talented people in the future.”

Low’s family originally relocated to Malaysia from eastern China’s Zhejiang Province. Low has studied the Chinese language since she was a young child， and is currently enrolled in a Master’s Degree program in Cross-Cultural Education at Tianjin University’s School of International Education. From her perspective， the valuable experience of studying abroad has not only broadened her horizons but also improved her personal development.

“China is my second home and I am going to work in China after graduation from the university， then consider returning to Malaysia，” Low said.

Under the theme of “Mutual Learning， Joint Advancing”， the CAYFFD provided an opportunity for young people from different countries to communicate， cooperate and learn from each other while also learning about Chinese culture. At the forum， more than 100 youth representatives from both China and the 10 ASEAN member states conducted a lively discussion on topics including studying abroad experiences， cultural exchange， mutual learning and future development. They also discussed China’s rapid economic growth.

“I am a native Singaporean， and my government sent me to China to pursue further study， so I should shoulder the responsibility of being an envoy of friendly exchanges between China and Singapore，” said Lim Jia Yi， who currently studies at the Beijing Dance Academy. Lim has been in China for four years. At the 10th Anniversary Celebration Gala of CAECW， she performed a lotus-themed solo dance. The lotus symbolizes peace， harmony， cooperation， solidarity and friendship.

Vietnamese student Nguyen Phuong Thao， now studying at Guizhou Minzu University， said that the Belt and Road Initiative has served as a link between many different countries and enhanced exchange between China and Southeast Asia. At the same time， it provides many development opportunities for countries in Southeast Asia， he added.

“I hope that young people can obtain as much knowledge and as many skills as possible， allowing them to enhance mutual learning and serve as a bridge for friendly exchanges between China and Southeast Asia，” Nguyen said.

Contribution to China-ASEAN Exchanges

Chen Jing， a native of Guizhou Province， is studying for a Master’s Degree in International Chinese Language Education at Guizhou University’s College of International Education. Chen has participated in the CAECW four times， and her role has evolved from a volunteer to a service staff member to a delegate at this year’s event.

“The CAECW is the only national platform for people-to-people exchanges and education cooperation between China and ASEAN， offering opportunities for young people to improve their communication，” Chen said.

In 2012， Chen volunteered as a Chinese language teacher in Thailand， after passing an intensive selection process.

“Bangkok is a colorful city， and my first impression of Thailand was its friendliness and hospitality，” Chen said， sharing her story with an audience of attendees at the CAECW.

During Chen’s two years in Thailand， around 700-800 Thai students learned Chinese from her. Her students ranged from kindergarteners to high school students， and most of them have become close friends with her. Even after Chen returned to China， her Thai students stayed in touch with her via QQ， a Chinese instant messaging service.

There is one experience in particular that Chen remembers fondly. One day， she traveled to central Bangkok to watch a show， and returned to her apartment late at night. The walk from the bus stop to her apartment was some distance， and she encountered a number of stray dogs， making her feel frightened. At that moment， a young Thai man riding a motorcycle offered to help her， escorting her safely back to her apartment.

“Thai people are very friendly to strangers， and the actions of that young man made me feel warm from the bottom of my heart，” Chen said. “That experience will always be special to me.”

At the CAECW， the young delegates at the CAYFFD put forward a proposal that all “young people from all countries must pass on the traditional friendship that exists between China and ASEAN， mutually respect the diversified culture of each country， enhance exchange， promote understanding， learn from each other and consolidate development consensus， and give play to their wisdom and strength under the backdrop of the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative to seek better cooperation between China and ASEAN and common prosperity.”

“Over the past 10 years， the CAECW has played an important role in terms of cultural exchange and people-to-people bonds，” said Yang Xiuping， secretary-general of ASEAN-China Center. “Young people from all countries should serve as cultural envoys and make positive contributions to this field.”