China-ASEAN Ethnic Cultural Forum held in Guilin

The 4th China-ASEAN Ethnic Cultural Forum was inaugurated in Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region on July 17, assembling more than 150 scholars and guests from countries such as China, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Brunei, India, and Japan.

The Forum was hosted by the Guangxi Federation of Social Sciences, Guilin municipal government, Guangxi University for Nationalities, and Guangxi International Cultural Exchange Center. Experts and scholars conducted in-depth discussions and exchanges on three main topics, including national cultural exchange and sharing of the Belt and Road countries, cultural tourism and green development, as well as ethnic cultural tourism and urban development.

"Experts and scholars from various countries have discussed the development prospects of China-ASEAN regional cooperation, as well as proposed strategies for China-ASEAN national cultural exchanges, tourism, green, and urban development," said Hong Bo, chairman of the Guangxi Federation of Social Sciences. "Their suggestions will further promote the prosperity and development of the national ethnic cultures of China and ASEAN countries."

Zhang Xiaowu, executive deputy director of Guilin, expressed the importance of cultural exchanges. He said that promoting national cultural exchanges is conducive to promoting regional peace, stability, as well as common prosperity and development. In the future, Guilin will strengthen cultural exchanges and cooperation with ASEAN countries and even the whole world.

"The Land-Sea Trade Corridor is not only a new carrier to enhance the mutual benefit of logistics and trade, but also a link to promote personnel exchanges," said Liu Yunzhong, a researcher at the Development Research Center of the State Council. "It will strengthen cultural exchanges between Guangxi and ASEAN countries."

According to Jiang Jinbao, vice-president of Guangxi University for Nationalities, the university has promoted ethnic culture studies of China and Southeast Asia countries through a number of scientific research institutions and platforms. "We will strengthen the research on Chinese-ASEAN ethic cultures and play a positive role in the cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and ASEAN countries," said Jiang.