From November 15 to 16, South China Normal University (SCNU) hosted the Southeast Asia Forum 2025 International Conference in Guangzhou, bringing together leading voices from across the region. The event was co-organized by SCNU's Center for Southeast Asian Studies, the Guangdong International Cultural Exchange Centre, and the Cross-Strait, Hong Kong and Macao Collaborative Innovation Alliance.
Centered on the theme "Inclusive Cooperation and Resilient Development Among the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Hainan Free Trade Port, and Southeast Asia Amid Global Transformation," the forum attracted approximately 300 participants from government, academia, and industry across China and 11 Southeast Asian countries, with nearly 20,000 viewers following online.
With the world facing rising unilateralism and growing deficits in peace and development, the conference provided a timely platform to explore pathways toward sustainable regional collaboration.
In his opening address, Professor Wu Jian, former Vice President of SCNU and Director of its Center for Southeast Asian Studies, highlighted the evolving nature of regional cooperation. He noted that maintaining momentum in education, technology, and talent collaboration is crucial for building a closer China-ASEAN community. "As China-Southeast Asia relations enter a new phase, we must continually reassess emerging needs and upgrade our strategies," he emphasized, pointing to new opportunities in digitalization and green development.
The forum also featured the launch of the biography "Marching Across Boundaries on the Stormy Seas - The Biography of Fadjar Suhendra," the inaugural volume of the "Biographies of Chinese Overseas in Southeast Asia" series. The work spotlights Indonesian industrialist and educator Su Yongfa (Fadjar Suhendra), whose legacy encompasses both industrial innovation and sustained support for Chinese language education in the region.
Further enriching the dialogue, Professor Heri Hermansyah, Rector of the University of Indonesia, reflected on the growing Indonesia-China partnership. "China's development journey offers valuable insights for Indonesia," he observed, underscoring the rapid expansion of Chinese investment in infrastructure and technology over the past decade. He also emphasized the importance of the "triple helix" model—collaboration among government, universities, and industry—as a driver of mutual growth, while noting the hundreds of student and faculty exchanges between the two countries.
Reporter: Guo Zedong
Photo: South China Normal University
Editor: Yuan Zixiang, James Campion, Shen He
