On 11 December 2021, the Gala Performance and Award Ceremony of the 4th ASEAN-China University Students’ Cultural Week was held in Haikou, Hainan Province. Mr. Li Yong, Second Inspector of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports of Hainan Province, Ms. Zhou Aoshuang, Deputy Director of Haikou Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, Mr. Chen Xiao, President of Haikou University of Economics, Mr. Ith Kimsour, Consul of the Consulate-General of Cambodia in Haikou, Mr. Lu Haibo, Member of the State Film Censorship Board, Mr. Kang Jianmin, Former Branch Party Secretary of China Film Association, Ms. Huang Jinduo, Former Director of Academic Affairs Office of the Central Academy of Drama, Mr. Li Hong, Secretary General of the National Alliance of Film Channels, Ms. Zheng Kainan, Honorary Chairman of Shenzhen Film and Television Association as well as other judges and winners of the competitions were present at the event. Ms. Li Yaying, Deputy Director of the Education, Culture and Tourism Division of the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) was invited to attend the event and present awards to the winners.

President Chen Xiao stated in his remarks that in the context of China’ s vigorous promotion of the construction of Hainan Free Trade Port, the Haikou University of Economics has held the ASEAN-China University Students’ Culture Week for four consecutive years. It aims at promoting cultural exchanges among university students of ASEAN Member States (AMS), Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) as well as other countries along the Belt and Road, building a platform for friendship and communication, inspiring content creativity of young people, and cultivating more outstanding young talents under the multicultural background.

Deputy Director Ms. Li Yaying stated in her address that the establishment of the ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership was announced at the recently held Special Summit to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations. The younger generation represents the future of ASEAN and China, and the cultural affinity is an sustaining driving force for our friendship and cooperation. Standing at a new historic starting point, ACC is ready to joint hands with all parties to consolidate the foundation of friendship and cooperation through youth exchanges, strengthen people-to-people ties through mutual learning among cultures, promote the sustainable development of ASEAN-China relations, and contribute to the building of an amicable home for both sides.

The 4th ASEAN-China University Students’ Culture Week is one of the series activities of the 22nd Hainan Island Carnival, under the guidance of ACC and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports of Hainan Province, and organised by Haikou University of Economics both online and offline. The event consists of two major sections: the University Student Short Film Contest and the University Student Singing Contest. Students from AMS and China, countries along the Belt and Road as well as Japan, the ROK took part in the competition. At the Gala Performance and Award Ceremony, students from Haikou University of Economics, Qiongtai Normal University and international students in Hainan presented artistic performances with both national traditions and exotic customs.