Under the framework of the “ASEAN-China Year of People-to-People Exchanges”, the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT) of Brunei Darussalam, jointly organized the Chinese Language Training and Capacity Building Workshop for ASEAN Tourism Professionals from 9-11 October 2025 in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam.

H.E. Shi Zhongjun, Secretary General of the ACC, and Hajah Tutiaty Binti Haji Abdul Wahab, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism of Brunei Darussalam, addressed the Opening Ceremony. Xiao Jianguo, Ambassador of China to Brunei, together with Chey Ratha, Ambassador of Cambodia to Brunei, U Sein Oo, Ambassador of Myanmar to Brunei, Abel Gueterres, Ambassador of Timor-Leste to Brunei, Tran Anh Vu, Ambassador of Viet Nam to Brunei, also attended the Opening. The workshop invited 80 representatives of tourism authorities and industry from ASEAN Member States and the ASEAN Secretariat to participate, both offline and online.

In the Opening, Shi Zhongjun highlighted tourism as a vital bridge connecting ASEAN and China, noting that over 15 million two-way exchanges in 2024 reflected the sector’s resilience. He reaffirmed ACC’s commitment to working with all ASEAN Member States to sustain strong and forward-looking cooperation. Hajah Tutiaty Binti Haji Abdul Wahab commended the initiative, emphasizing tourism’s dual role in driving economic growth and deepening cultural ties, and called for enhanced language training and capacity building to deliver better experiences for Chinese visitors.

The two-day indoor lecturing featured intensive sessions to enhance participants’ Chinese language proficiency, cultural understanding and service standards for Chinese visitors. Training covered basic language skills, communication techniques and insights into Chinese culture, alongside ways to improve safety, payment facilitation and travel experience optimization. The programme concluded with a technical tour highlighting Brunei’s rich natural tourism resources and sustainable practices.

The workshop, a flagship initiative of the ACC, served as a valuable platform to strengthen language and cultural competence among ASEAN tourism professionals, promoting deeper mutual understanding and people-to-people connectivity. Building on its success, the ACC would continue to support similar initiatives to enhance regional tourism cooperation and elevate service quality for Chinese visitors across ASEAN.