Decade of discovery

BEIJING, Oct. 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from chinadaily.com.cn:

The 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is being celebrated this year, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the China-ASEAN strategic partnership and the founding of the China-ASEAN Expo. These milestones highlight China's booming international collaboration and growth.

As part of the fifth ASEAN-China Media Week, the third season of the ASEAN-China Youth Hosts Camp is currently underway. This unique initiative brings together a diverse group of young "hosts" or social media influencers to explore the development and opportunities arising from the BRI from a global and youthful perspective.

The hosts embarked on four field-trip routes, including scenic Guilin in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, vibrant Guangzhou in South China's Guangdong province, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, and historical Hanoi in Vietnam. These journeys serve as a modern-day caravan for cultural exchange and mutual discovery, as did the ancient Silk Road.

Elizabeth Garcia Arce, a student from the Philippines, visited the Elephant Trunk Hill in Guilin and participated in a traditional performance of caidiao, a traditional tune and intangible cultural heritage of Guangxi. She found live-streaming to be an effective way to promote and preserve intangible cultural heritages.

In Guangzhou, Nan May Thet Khaing from Myanmar admired the Guangzhou Tower. She highlighted the historical significance of Guangzhou as the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road and emphasized its role in economic cooperation and cultural exchange.

Yise Loo, a Malaysian singer-songwriter, was introduced to Lubao Tea during her field trip to Guilin and found it increasingly enjoyable. This led her to write a song comparing tea-drinking to meditation and savoring the brewing process.

The Hanoi field trip team explored the rich collaboration and exchanges between China and Vietnam. Hoang Quoc Trung, an anchor from Hanoi TV, expressed delight at the efficiency of Vietnam's first light rail metro system, a project involved in the China-proposed BRI. The team also witnessed China-Vietnam ties in cross-border e-commerce at Dong Xuan Market. Hoang and his field trip mates also engaged in live-streaming, including a promotional video for Liuzhou luosifen (river snail rice noodles) of Guangxi.

This year's ASEAN-China Youth Hosts Camp showcases the power of cultural exchange, live-streaming, and social media in promoting development, opportunities, and mutual understanding between China and ASEAN countries.