Dialogue on the Future of ASEAN–China Relations: The Role of Youth in Building Trust and Cooperation

In June 2024, I had the opportunity to participate in the ASEAN–China Future Relations Forum in Jakarta as a representative of the ASEAN–China Young Leaders Scholarship (ACYLS). I was also honored to serve as one of the speakers in a discussion session on the theme: “Building Heart-to-Heart Bridges for a Closer ASEAN–China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.”

The forum brought together policymakers, scholars, experts, and youth representatives from ASEAN and China to discuss the future of one of the most important relationships in the Asia-Pacific region.

During my remarks, I focused on a question that has long interested me:

What role can young people play in shaping the future of ASEAN–China relations?

As a Vietnamese PhD candidate studying in Beijing, I have come to realize that trade figures, investment flows, and cooperation agreements are only part of the story. Behind these achievements lie understanding, trust, and the connections built between people.

The ACYLS program has given me the opportunity to live what I often describe as two parallel lives. One is within the international academic environment of the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE), where I study alongside students from more than 150 countries. The other is beyond the campus, where I engage directly with Chinese society through community activities, cultural exchanges, and everyday interactions.

These experiences have strengthened my belief that people-to-people exchanges are not merely a complement to international relations; they are one of its most important foundations.

At the forum, I shared my view that media, education, culture, and youth exchange programs can help foster mutual understanding among societies. Such understanding, in turn, helps build trust—the essential foundation for sustainable cooperation in the future.

One of the experiences that has profoundly influenced my thinking was a visit to Qufu, Shandong Province, the hometown of Confucius. There, I had the opportunity to explore Confucian philosophy more deeply and was particularly inspired by two concepts:

天下大同 (Tianxia Datong) — a world of great harmony.

厚德载物 (Houde Zaiwu) — with profound virtue, one can embrace and support all things.

To me, these are not merely ancient philosophical ideas; they also offer valuable insights for thinking about international development in the twenty-first century.

At a time when the world faces geopolitical competition, climate change, armed conflicts, and rapid technological transformation, young people need more than knowledge and technical skills. They also need compassion, a sense of responsibility, and the ability to collaborate across borders.

Toward the end of my speech, I shared a symbol that has accompanied me throughout much of my personal and professional journey: bamboo.

Bamboo occupies a special place in many cultures across ASEAN and China. In Chinese culture, it symbolizes the virtues of a noble and upright person. In Vietnamese culture, it represents resilience, unity, and adaptability. In Indonesia, bamboo comes alive through the sound of the Angklung, reflecting harmony and collective cooperation.

I believe that young people in ASEAN and China can learn much from the spirit of bamboo: to grow upward without arrogance, to remain flexible without losing their core values, and to compete without forgetting the importance of cooperation.

Looking back on this dialogue in Jakarta, what remains with me is not merely the speeches or the economic statistics. Rather, it is the conviction that the future of ASEAN–China relations will not be shaped solely by governments or agreements, but also by the countless human connections being built every day—by young people who learn from one another, share experiences, and cultivate the trust that future generations will depend upon.