Young talents get practical training as part of expo

Ninthasene Phetsavong, a young practitioner from Laos, attended a targeted digital economy training program in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, empowered by the long-term exchange platform of the China-ASEAN Expo.

Around 40 outstanding young learners from nine other Association of Southeast Asian Nations member countries attended the event with him.

The opening ceremony of the Seminar on China-ASEAN Young Leaders' Growth Program for "AI-Powered Future" Digital Economy took place on Sept 8.

As a key institutional people-to-people cooperation initiative, the program was officially launched at the 21st CAEXPO in 2024, jointly organized by the CAEXPO Secretariat and the ASEAN Secretariat.

The project has become a core branded program of the expo's youth exchange system, committed to nurturing regional young talents and consolidating China-ASEAN bonds.

Liang Yiguang, deputy secretary-general of the CAEXPO Secretariat, said the upcoming China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 marks a milestone by incorporating digital economy cooperation for the first time, opening new and broader prospects for industrial and technological collaboration across the region.

Over years of development, the expo has expanded its functions beyond traditional trade exhibitions. It has launched a series of targeted training and exchange programs for ASEAN youth, cultivating nearly 800 professional talents from such countries and building a mature, systematic cross-border youth cooperation mechanism.

"We hope all young participants can refine their professional capabilities, apply what they have learned to their national development, and deepen cross-border youth exchanges through this platform," Liang said.

Delivering a speech as the Lao youth representative, Phetsavong shared his country's digital transformation achievements.

Laos has achieved a telecom infrastructure coverage rate of over 98 percent nationwide, while mobile banking services have reached a 30 percent popularization rate.

The country has witnessed booming digital startups and fully operational digital tax administration systems.

In July, Laos became a founding member of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, continuously optimizing institutional systems to promote AI technology application in public and private sectors.

Phetsavong had high expectations for the seminar, noting that he and fellow ASEAN youth learners aim to absorb China's advanced experience in digital technology, smart city construction, digital finance and AI industries.

By learning from regional practical achievements, the youth group will contribute more to solidarity and mutually beneficial cooperation between China and ASEAN.

Adopting a dual model of classroom lectures and field visits, the 14-day seminar arranged in-depth studies in three locations: Nanning and Guilin in Guangxi, and Huaihua in Hunan.

The diverse curriculum and field research help young talents explore innovative paths for China-ASEAN digital economic integration.

As a sustainable long-term project under the CAEXPO framework, the China-ASEAN Young Leaders' Growth Program operates on a two-year cycle with a "dialogue plus research and study" model. It implements a standardized mechanism, which includes participating in CAEXPO's major economic and trade events, conducting cross-border joint research, holding youth lectures, organizing industry salons and launching beneficial grassroots cooperation projects.