China-ASEAN Youth Culture Week Opens in Beijing
Over 400 young people from China and ASEAN states take part in a week of forums, fieldwork sharing, sports and online performance through November 1.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Cultural
The 2026 China-ASEAN Youth Culture Week, held under the theme "Hehe for the Future: Youth in a World of Civilizational Harmony," runs from October 25 to November 1 in Beijing and Guiyang. The program includes an opening ceremony, a fieldwork sharing session, an area studies sub-forum and a youth friendship sports tournament.
Why it matters
The week brings together young people from China and Southeast Asian nations to build people-to-people ties through academic exchange, sport and language. It also marks the 65th anniversary of China-Laos diplomatic relations, which is reflected in a planned online language performance.
The program drew more than 400 young participants from China and ASEAN member states, with over 70 experts and young scholars attending the Area Studies Sub-Forum at Guizhou University. No prior-year attendance figures were released for comparison, and the source does not state how many events will be recorded or streamed.
The players
ASEAN-China Centre
The ASEAN-China Centre is an intergovernmental body that promotes cooperation between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations across trade, culture and education.
Beijing Foreign Studies University
Beijing Foreign Studies University is a major Chinese institution specializing in foreign languages and international studies, and it hosted the opening ceremony.
Peking University
Peking University is one of China's leading comprehensive research universities, and its Institute of Area Studies co-organized the event.
The details
The week opened October 25 at Beijing Foreign Studies University and included a Fieldwork Sharing Session at Peking University, an Area Studies Sub-Forum with an academic paper workshop at Guizhou University, and a Youth Friendship Sports Tournament at Beijing Sport University. University students majoring in Lao submitted speeches in the language for the online performance, "Connecting China and Laos Through Language."
Timeline
October 25, 2026: Opening ceremony at Beijing Foreign Studies University.
October 27, 2026: Fieldwork Sharing Session at Peking University.
October 31, 2026: Area Studies Sub-Forum at Guizhou University.
November 1, 2026: Youth Friendship Sports Tournament at Beijing Sport University.
November 13, 2026: Scheduled events in Laos.
Cultural Exchange Track
The week is one of the youth exchange activities that fall under China's people-to-people diplomacy with ASEAN, a strand that has grown alongside the Belt and Road framework. Its Laos component ties the program to the 65th anniversary of China-Laos diplomatic relations.
Audiences can follow the online performance "Connecting China and Laos Through Language" once it launches on online platforms, which the source says will happen soon. Events in Laos on November 13 are scheduled, though the source does not specify whether they are open to the public.
The takeaway
Cross-border youth programs like this one build working relationships through shared academic, athletic and language projects rather than through formal diplomacy alone. Readers interested in the region can follow the November 13 Laos events for further developments.
What happens next
A series of events, including the online performance "Connecting China and Laos Through Language," is scheduled in Laos on November 13, 2026.
Further reading
For more on cross-border arts and heritage exchange, see Cultural.
