China-ASEAN Youth Cultural Exchange Festival held in Guangdong Province helps young people from China and ASEAN member states cement friendship

“This is the first chance I’ve had to work on Chinese embroidery，” explained Ngiao Keichi from Malaysia. “It’s a little tough. You have to be patient.” Having worked on her embroidered moon-shaped fan for one-and-a-half hours， Keichi showed great pride in her work.

Keichi was a participant in the 5th China-ASEAN Youth Cultural Exchange Festival held in southern China’s Guangdong Province on July 24-27， organized by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries， the China-ASEAN Association and the China National Committee for the Care of Children.

Young Envoys of Friendship

The event was co-hosted by the Foreign Affairs Office of the Guangdong Provincial People’s Government， the Guangdong People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Guangdong Provincial Committee for the Care of Children， and was attended by more than 80 young people aged between 12 and 18 from seven ASEAN member states， namely Cambodia， Indonesia， Laos， Malaysia， Myanmar， Thailand and Vietnam， as well as more than 100 Chinese teenagers from different parts of the country. The young attendees experienced local cuisine and enjoyed a cultural performance combining traditional and modern elements.

At the opening ceremony， teenagers from Guangzhou performed a hip hop dance， popular Cantonese songs， a Lingnan （southern regions of China）-style puppet show and a martial arts performance， which wowed the ASEAN attendees.

“The theme of this festival is ‘Young Voice for the Belt and Road’，” said Gu Xiulian， President of the China-ASEAN Association and the China National Committee for the Care of Children. “I hope the young people from China and ASEAN can deepen their friendship and mutual understanding， and serve as young envoys of friendship between China and ASEAN countries.” Guangdong has a long history of communication and traditional friendship with ASEAN countries， and has made significant contributions to exchanges between China and ASEAN countries. A festival at this location bears special significance for young people who live along the Maritime Silk Road.

Yee Tun Khaing and Ei Thandar Aung， both high school students from Myanmar， were on their first trip to Guangzhou. They explained in Chinese that they had made friends with fellow young people from Thailand and Cambodia.

“It’s nice to get to know friends from other countries. I’ve learned a lot from them，” Yee Tun Khaing said.

Platform of Friendship

In 2012， at the 7th Conference on ASEAN-China People-to-People Friendship， Gu Xiulian suggested that a youth cultural exchange program should be organized to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between young people in China and ASEAN. Her suggestion was very well received by the friendship associations of ASEAN countries.

In August 2013， the first cultural exchange festival took place in Beijing. The young delegates from China and ASEAN visited the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace， two of Beijing’s most iconic destinations. They also studied Chinese calligraphy and painted scrolls on the topics of international friendship and the China-ASEAN family. Since then， the festival has become an annual event. In 2014， the delegates traveled to Kangbao County on the grassland of northern Hebei Province and attended mini sports games and learned about oat food making. They signed the Kangbanoel Declaration advocating environmental protection. During the third festival in Changzhou， Jiangsu Province in 2015， the delegates planted 10+1 trees together， symbolizing regional friendship. The fourth festival in 2016 took the young delegates to Xi’an in Shaanxi Province， where they experienced the charm of the ancient capital city， including a re-enacted Tang Dynasty （618-907） VIP guest welcoming ceremony.

This festival in Guangzhou was a Lingnan cultural feast for the young delegates. They learned much about Chinese intangible cultural heritage， including embroidery， glazed porcelain， paper cutting and silk figures. The also visited the Guangzhou Thirteen Hongs Museum， Guangdong Museum and Canton Tower， which provided great insight into the history and culture of the Maritime Silk Road， as well as the region as a whole.

The gala night and closing ceremony took place at the Second Children’s Palace of Guangzhou on July 27. The young delegates from China and ASEAN countries staged 12 art performances with distinct national features， winning enthusiastic applause from the audience.

“During school holidays， a large number of middle school students from our province travel to ASEAN countries，” said Su Caifang， deputy director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Guangdong Provincial People’s Government and vice president of the Guangdong Provincial Committee for the Care of Children. “Meanwhile， a large number of young people from ASEAN countries travel to our province to see the sights during holidays.”

Su said he hopes that the young travelers will be envoys of friendship on their journeys and that cultural exchange events such as the festival will add to the mutual understanding and friendship between the young people of China and ASEAN member states.