The fourth China-ASEAN Excellent Youth Summer Camp is taking place at China’s Henan Normal University.
Jointly organised by the International Relations Institute of Cambodia (IRIC) at the Royal Academy of Cambodia and the College of Political Science and Public Administration of Henan Normal University, the October 18 to 24 camp brings together students and young researchers from across the ASEAN bloc and China.
IRIC director Kin Phea addressed the October 19 official opening ceremony. He urged the 48 participants, 10 from across ASEAN and 38 from China, to translate their shared learning and new friendships into practical cooperation that benefits their communities.
The theme, “A New Journey Across Mountains and Seas: Empowering Youth to Build a Community with a Shared Future”, guides a programme that combines academic dialogue, cultural learning, and opportunities to develop diplomatic and leadership skills.
During the opening keynote address, Phea noted that young people needed opportunities to influence the future they would inherit.
“Empowerment means giving young people the knowledge and opportunities to help shape decisions affecting our shared future,” he said.
Reflecting on the previous three annual camps, he detailed how the initiative had developed from an institutional agreement into a recurring platform for youth exchange. Academic discussions, diplomatic simulations and cultural activities had helped participants strengthen communication and leadership skills, while friendships and networks continued beyond the camp.
“We have given successive groups opportunities to learn together, practise cooperation and build mutual trust,” he said, describing these achievements as the foundation for the fourth edition.
Phea set out three priorities for participants: critical inquiry, inclusive cooperation and practical action. He encouraged young people to examine evidence, question assumptions and understand the concerns of other countries, while urging educators to provide space for difficult questions and respectful disagreement.
“Economic interdependence creates shared interests, but it cannot alone resolve mistrust,” he said.
He also stressed how regional cooperation should deliver benefits to communities and give smaller countries a meaningful voice. Different political systems, cultural traditions and national priorities could be accommodated within a shared future, he said, provided that people felt their dignity and interests were respected.
“From a Cambodian perspective, sovereign equality, international law and ASEAN centrality are essential foundations,” he said.
Phea highlighted that that meaningful youth participation requires access to mentorship and opportunities to contribute.
Linking the camp’s discussions on water resources, climate change and regional security to preventive diplomacy, Phea encouraged participants to listen carefully before proposing solutions and explain how cooperation could work when interests differed.
Welcoming the participants, Prof. Yang Yadong, vice-president of Henan Normal University, highlighted the camp’s development over its first three editions and its contribution to international education. He described it as “a high-level dialogue platform for Chinese and foreign youth to get to know each other, become closer and discuss the future together.”
Yang said the combination of academic exchange and cultural experiences would help students broaden their international outlook and strengthen their ability to communicate across cultures. He also welcomed closer educational partnerships with ASEAN institutions.
Tian Qirui, party secretary of the university’s College of Political Science and Public Administration, placed the event in the context of the 35th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relations and the fifth anniversary of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
“Youth are the future of the country, the hope of the nation, and the vital force of China-ASEAN friendly cooperation,” Tian said, encouraging participants to share their experiences with friends and communities at home.
Prof. Xi Laiwang, a distinguished professor at the university and director of its Institute for World Peace and Development, emphasised the value of continued exchanges beyond the programme.
“I also hope that you will become ambassadors of friendship and cooperation between China and ASEAN,” he told participants.
Speaking on behalf of the ASEAN participants, Mak Monyreach, a student at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, expressed the delegation’s readiness to engage with regional challenges.
“We gather here today not just as students, but as future partners,” he said.
He highlighted the security consensus competition as an opportunity to practise negotiation and develop practical proposals with Chinese peers.
Chen Siyuan, a Public Administration student at Henan University and representative of the Chinese attendees, stressed the importance of learning across disciplines and national backgrounds.
“Understanding leads to trust, trust leads to cooperation,” Chen said, welcoming opportunities to combine academic discussion with cultural immersion.
The week-long activities will include discussions on China-ASEAN cooperation, Lancang-Mekong cooperation and China’s development, while a youth dialogue on water resources and climate change is also scheduled, along with an International Symposium on the Building of a Closer China-ASEAN Community with a Shared Future and the China-ASEAN New Era Security Consensus Framework competition.
The cultural programme will include visits to the Yinxu Museum and the Chinese Character Museum in Anyang, alongside campus visits and hands-on experiences in Chinese tea culture and calligraphy. These activities are intended to deepen understanding of China’s history and traditions while creating opportunities for participants to share their own cultures.
During his keynote address, Phea proposed a concrete way to sustain the relationships formed during the week.
“Before you leave Henan, I encourage each cross-national team to choose one small joint project and set a date to meet again,” he said, suggesting a short comparative study or a water conservation activity.
“Our shared future takes shape through the choices you make and the respect you show one another,” he told the young participants.