Finance China-ASEAN Education Exchange Week: Building a "bridge" for cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries
China News Service Guizhou News July 23 (Reporter Zhang Wei) Guizhou, known as the "World Bridge Museum", has built more than 30,000 bridges, and the bridges built and under construction are connected for more than 5,400 kilometers. The world's tallest bridge - the Huajiang Gorge Bridge under construction on the Lu'an Expressway, the world's second tallest bridge - the Beipanjiang Bridge on the Hangrui Expressway, and the world's third tallest bridge - the Tianmen Bridge on the Anpan Expressway under construction, are all located in Guizhou.
Bridges have not only become Guizhou’s “new business card”, but also a “new entry point” for young people at home and abroad to understand Guizhou.
"Go straight to Guizhou and see the future" the Guizhou Youth Exchange Group came to the Beipanjiang Bridge, the "second tallest bridge in the world", for study and exchange.
"There are huge differences between the two places in terms of geographical environment and cultural characteristics, but this does not hinder our communication. We have long heard that Guizhou's bridge projects continue to break world records. We must see this spectacular and shocking scene with our own eyes during this event." In mid-July, the 2025 "Knowing and Doing Guizhou" Silk Road Youth Exchange Program and the 2025 China-ASEAN Summer Collaboration Camp opened at Guizhou Communications Vocational University. A teacher from the Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Technology in Malaysia hopes that young people from all countries will take this event as an opportunity to make friends and strengthen exchanges with bridges. "I hope that our friendship will be like the bridges in Guizhou, spanning mountains and seas and connecting the future."
It is understood that the "Know and Do Guizhou" Silk Road Youth Exchange Program was officially launched in 2021. The activity invites at least 100 young people from the countries participating in the construction of the "Belt and Road" to conduct short-term exchanges and studies through online and offline methods every year. It is to promote the in-depth interaction of Chinese and foreign youth from "knowing" to "doing", and become an important carrier for regional educational cooperation and cultural communication.
The "Knowing and Practicing Guizhou" Silk Road Youth Exchange Program is only a microcosm of the China-ASEAN Education Exchange Week building a "bridge" for cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries.
Since the first China-ASEAN Education Exchange Week was held in 2008, exchanges between Chinese and foreign youth have become increasingly frequent. Research and study exchanges, cultural and sports exchanges and other activities have been carried out in an orderly manner, actively promoting new achievements in Guizhou's education exchanges and cooperation with foreign countries. With education as a link, the cultural exchanges between Guizhou and ASEAN are reaching a new level.
Enhance mutual understanding between Chinese and foreign youth in "poetry and distant places"
Tourism and study tours are not only a window to visit landmark buildings and experience cultural customs, but also a bridge to spread civilization, exchange culture and enhance friendship.
Cambodian student Chen Caihong studied in Sandu Shui Autonomous County, Guizhou Province, and witnessed the living inheritance of Shui culture by Shui people. He was impressed by the strong vitality of traditional Chinese culture. Chen Caihong believes that this is of great reference significance for better inheritance of Cambodian culture.
Guizhou Medical University implements the "Knowing and Doing Guizhou" Silk Road Youth Exchange Program to carry out intangible cultural heritage research.
Nora, a Burmese student, fell in love with Guizhou after studying there. "The food is similar to the flavor of my hometown and my friendly classmates make me feel the warmth of home even in a foreign country."
Since 2008, more than 12,600 teachers and students from schools of all levels and types in Guizhou Province have visited foreign countries for exchanges, including more than 5,600 to ASEAN countries; attracted 19,800 students from ASEAN countries to exchange and study in Guizhou; promoted the establishment of 11 bilateral or multilateral regional cooperation international platforms and bases mainly in education in Guizhou; promoted the establishment of exchange and cooperation relations between 60 universities in Guizhou and more than 380 universities, education and scientific research academic institutions at home and abroad...
The data show that with the continued holding of the China-ASEAN Education Exchange Week, the good prospects for educational exchanges between China and ASEAN countries are becoming increasingly apparent.
Foreign youth have more diverse windows to understand Guizhou
Different geographical environments and historical backgrounds have shaped different regional cultures. Cultural diversity is the charm of human civilization. Many Chinese young people choose to study abroad to experience the diversity of the world's multicultural culture. Guizhou, a "miniature" of China, is also becoming one of the popular choices for foreign young people to know and understand China.
The "Star Jump" team of Guizhou Normal University has represented China in many cultural exchange performances in ASEAN and Europe, which have won the praise of young people abroad. This performance style with Chinese characteristics, which uses Miao embroidery elements as clothing design, Dong ethnic group songs as background music, and combines traditional rhythms with modern rope skipping skills, has gained a group of foreign fans. A simple rope skipping has become a bridge for cultural exchange, allowing the world to feel the artistic beauty and sportsmanship of the Chinese nation in the leap, and promoting the spread of Chinese stories to the world with youth and rhythm.
Interest is an important factor in stimulating individual exploration and understanding of things, and is an important prerequisite for forming value identification and mutual learning of civilizations. Nowadays, Chinese and foreign young people are increasingly interested in each other, for example, foreign young people are yearning for Guizhou's "Village Supermarket".
On April 13, 2024, the School of International Education of Guizhou University organized a football team and cheerleading team consisting of 120 international students from 38 countries including Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, etc. to participate in the Guizhou "Village Super" competition and immersively experience the charm of Guizhou "Village Super".
"I am very interested in 'Village Super'. Today I specially prepared Thai milk tea for my Guizhou friends to try." Chang Xiuwen, a Thai student, said excitedly. During the intermission, the traditional Indonesian dance performed by the students brought the atmosphere to a climax.
Relevant person in charge of the School of International Education of Guizhou University said that Guizhou's "Village Super" has a strong local flavor and unique cultural charm. It is a window for international students to observe Guizhou up close and understand China's rural culture, ethnic culture and sports traditions.
China and ASEAN are closely connected and connected. The 2025 China-ASEAN Education Exchange Week will also encourage 1,100 foreign youth to come to Guizhou for study tours and exchange visits. Frequent exchanges and interactions have allowed more and more foreign youth to come to Guizhou and understand China, and have also made Guizhou an important fulcrum for exchanges and cooperation in the field of humanities between China and ASEAN.
Chinese and foreign youth have more diverse ways of communicating
As China and ASEAN further deepen and upgrade their cooperation in various fields, both sides need to cultivate talents who are proficient in the languages of China and ASEAN countries and promote exchanges among civilizations through language communication.
On August 19, 2024, the 2024 China-ASEAN Education Exchange Week "Chinese Bridge" - "Princess Sirindhorn Cup" ASEAN Students' Speech Contest was held in Gui'an New District. The theme of this contest was "Poetry China", and ASEAN students from 12 universities including Thailand's Chulalongkorn University, Zhejiang University, and Zunyi Medical University participated in the competition.
The scene of the 2024 China-ASEAN Education Exchange Week "Chinese Bridge" - "Princess Sirindhorn Cup" Speech Contest for International Students from ASEAN Countries in China.
"Chinese poetry not only allows me to appreciate the charm of the Chinese language, but also teaches me a lot of life wisdom." Xu Wenqing, a Thai student studying at Tongji University, believes that learning Chinese is not only a process of mastering a new language, but also a way to learn to appreciate the beauty of Chinese literature.
How can young people with different languages and cultures quickly get along with each other? Among many answers, e-sports and music may be the most "optimal" ones.
On May 24, 2025, the "Youthful" IP event of the China-ASEAN Education Exchange Week - the Z Generation (ASEAN-China, Japan and South Korea Youth) Colorful E-sports Competition and the Guizhou University E-sports League (Zunyi Division) kicked off. Contestant Jin Xian is from Cambodia. During the competition, Jin Xianlai discussed many new ways of playing and new tactics with his Chinese teammates. What impressed him most was the unique culture of China and Cambodia. "Although everyone has different cultural backgrounds, some customs and practices are very similar, which surprised and interesting me. If I have the opportunity, I must visit more places in China."
On the evening of May 24, 2024, a 2024 China-ASEAN Education Exchange Week "Shaking Hands with the World" theme concert was held in Guiyang, with ASEAN students as the protagonists. Chinese dance, Indonesian dance, solo Vietnamese traditional music and other programs took turns to show the vitality of Guizhou's education opening up and the infinite splendor of cultural exchanges in the China-ASEAN Education Exchange Week.
"I am very excited to come to China to study and pursue my dreams, and to perform with my Chinese classmates!" Li Na, a Laotian girl studying at Guizhou University for Nationalities, said that she likes Chinese music and culture very much, and hopes to make more friends with her singing and appreciate the charm of Chinese culture through her singing. (End)