The 18th China-ASEAN Cultural Forum held in Nanning, China

NANNING, China, June 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The 18^th China-ASEAN Cultural Forum, jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China and the People's Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, was held in Nanning, China on June 19^th. With the theme "Smart Libraries Construction and Reading Promotion", the forum revolved around the restoration and preservation of ancient books and aimed to deepen and expand China-ASEAN library and publishing cooperation.

Guests from the cultural and tourism departments of China and ASEAN countries, experts, and scholars from the field gathered here to explore a new vision for cooperation on smart library construction. H.E. Rao Quan, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China, H.E. Wissanu Krea-ngam, Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, H.E. Suanesavanh Vignaket, Minister of the Information, Culture, and Tourism of Laos, H.E. U Ko Ko, Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture of Myanmar, H.E. Shi Zhongjun, Secretary General of ASEAN-China Centre, and other guests from China and ASEAN countries and international organizations reviewed the cooperation between the China and ASEAN in library construction at the forum. They also shared their new measures in reading promotion and voiced their opinions on the goals and importance of smart libraries. Additionally, they explored potential collaboration in constructing such libraries.

Experts and scholars shared their latest achievements in the restoration and preservation of ancient books , revealing how our cultural treasures are revived. Attendees were able to witness how science and technology have impacted our culture by giving new life to ancient works through digital advancements. Moreover, professional publishers shared their experiences and provided insight into the future of book publishing cooperation.

At this forum, the representatives of libraries from China and ASEAN countries officially released the China-ASEAN Library Alliance Initiative, which was hailed as the wisdom of the forum and practical achievement of library exchanges and cooperation between the two sides. The initiative focuses on strengthening exchanges and training of library personnel, sharing technical resources, and integrating innovative development.

Over the past 18 years, the China-ASEAN Cultural Forum has effectively promoted cultural exchanges and mutual understanding between China and ASEAN countries and has gradually developed into a professional forum with great international influence.