China Q&A | How does China boost people-to-people connectivity with ASEAN countries?

(ECNS) -- Guangxi serves as a frontier and important window for exchanges and cooperation between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries.

Ong Tee Keat, president of the Belt and Road Initiative Caucus for Asia Pacific, said at the Belt and Road Forum on People-to-people Connectivity on Friday that he always wanted to know the key challenges in the people-to-people connectivity with ASEAN countries from the Chinese perspective. How has China worked with ASEAN countries so far? And how will China further strengthen people-to-people connectivity with ASEAN countries in the future?

Huang Rihan, director of Maritime Silk Road Institute, Huaqiao University, replied that, China has consistently approached its relationship with ASEAN countries from a perspective of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation. This effort extends beyond economic collaboration to include areas such as culture, tourism, and education.

“Thanks to the educational exchanges, 40 percent to 50 percent of my students are from overseas. Many are from Southeast Asia. In the future, we can continue deepening cooperation in education, tourism, culture and media,” Huang added.