On 25 September 2025, the Opening Ceremony of the “2025 China-ASEAN Youth Culture Week” was held at the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE). The Program is initiated by the Center for International Cultural Communication (CICC) of the China International Communications Group and supported by the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC). Themed “Shaping a Shared Future: The Cross-Cultural Dynamism of Youth”, the event brought together over 200 experts in field of China-ASEAN studies and youth from China and ASEAN countries. 

Secretary General Shi Zhongjun of the ACC, Ambassador Chatchai Viriyavejakul of Thailand to China, Ambassador Jaime A. FlorCruz of the Philippines to China delivered video speeches. Yu Yingfu, Vice President of CICC, Wen Jun, Vice President and Deputy Party Secretary of UIBE, and Zhang Yihao, Deputy Director of News Center of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) addressed the Opening Ceremony.

Shi Zhongjun noted that beyond being observers, youth are becoming active contributors to a more interconnected region. He expressed hope that youth from China and ASEAN would deepen their understanding of each other's cultures, traditions and shared values, enhance mutual trust, foster friendship, and lay a solid foundation for sustainable cooperation and collective identity of the region.

The Opening Ceremony featured two round table dialogues where invited guests engaged in inter-generational discussions with ASEAN students studying in China on topics including “Youth-led Ecological Action under the Sustainable Development Goal” and “The Shared Future of China-ASEAN Youth.” The Culture Week will also host a series of activities, including the “Decoding Chinese Modernization” International Communication Workshop, the China-ASEAN Future Talent Dialogue Conference, the Seminar on the Theoretical Value and Strategic Outlook of “China-ASEAN Plus” Cross-Regional Cooperation, and thematic cultural visits.