Column: Youths hold key to brighter future for China-ASEAN ties

Youths are ambassadors of their respective countries, and more importantly, they are builders of trust, carriers of knowledge, and champions of cooperation between China and ASEAN.

by Kin Phea

Youths hold the key to a brighter future for China-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ties, and the frequent exchanges between youths of the two sides will lay a robust foundation to build trust and forge friendships.

As China-ASEAN relations continue to develop, people-to-people exchanges have become increasingly significant.

China and ASEAN together make up one of the most dynamic and interconnected regions on the planet, and it is the young generations who will inherit the responsibility of steering relations through complex and evolving global currents.

Youths are ambassadors of their respective countries, and more importantly, they are builders of trust, carriers of knowledge, and champions of cooperation between the two sides.

It is important to remember that our region, while rich in diversity, shares a common future.

Whether it is economic resilience, climate action, public health, digital transformation, or peace and security, our challenges and opportunities are increasingly transnational.

No country can navigate these alone. That is why youths need to visit and interact with each other more often to bring their hearts closer.

Youth engagement is crucial to reinforcing our collective stability and prosperity, as trust built through mutual exchanges often becomes the cornerstone for broader regional integration and cooperation.

The ongoing 2025 China-ASEAN Excellent Youth Summer Camp is a vivid example of youth exchanges between the two sides.

Co-hosted by the International Relations Institute of Cambodia of the Royal Academy of Cambodia and the College of Political Science and Public Administration of Henan Normal University from July 7 to 11 in central China's Henan Province, the annual event has brought together university students and junior researchers from China and ASEAN member states.

It offers a valuable opportunity for them to explore China and its culture through a diverse range of interactive activities, immerse themselves in daily cultural classes, and connect with students from various ASEAN countries.

This program will enhance cross-border collaboration, foster greater understanding, shared learning, common vision, and promote mutual respect among youths, enabling them to experience the rich and diverse cultures and arts of different countries.

It also aims to promote connectivity and the blending of cultures and arts, enhance learning of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, the Belt and Road Initiative, China-ASEAN relations, and Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, thereby contributing to the building of a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

As we celebrate more than three decades of formal China-ASEAN relations and look forward to the vision of a shared future, the emphasis on youth exchanges has become even more important.

Youth interactions serve as the foundation beneath our political, economic and strategic frameworks, and they ensure that regional cooperation is not only based on mutual interests but also built upon mutual respect, cultural appreciation and sincere friendships.

In conclusion, the future of China-ASEAN ties lies in the younger generations. The success of China-ASEAN relations in the coming decades will depend not only on trade agreements or diplomatic accords, but on people-to-people exchanges.

It will, in particular, depend on young people, who are not only the leaders of tomorrow but also the architects of today's dialogue and tomorrow's cooperation.

Editor's note: Kin Phea is director general of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia, a think tank under the Royal Academy of Cambodia.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Xinhua News Agency.■