"In recent years, more and more Singaporean youths have begun to set their sights on China and explore the space for development in China." Wu Yanting, a Singaporean "Generation Z" Chinese, said in an interview with a reporter from China News Service that he hopes that through the power of himself and youth organizations, It will pave the way for youth exchanges and cultural exchanges between New Zealand and China.

From September 14th to 20th, 30 young people from South Korea, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Nepal and China, including Wu Yanting, visited Kunming, Pu'er, Xishuangbanna and other places in Yunnan to start a Chinese technological innovation and Chinese traditional culture experience tour.

Wu Yanting, who was born in Singapore in 1995, has been exposed to and learned Chinese since he was a child. In the past, he mainly learned about China through interactions with Chinese students and visiting teachers.“It wasn’t until I entered Tsinghua University in 2019 to carry out a one-year subject project that my enthusiasm for Chinese culture and interest in understanding China were aroused.”

Experience the rapid development of the Internet in Beijing, the center of China's politics, culture, and international exchanges, feel the charm of Chinese cultural heritage at the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, and touch the beauty of Tibetan culture in Lhasa, Tibet. Wu Yanting opened the corner of this picture called "China" and said, " China is so big, I need to look for different opportunities and invest a lot of time to explore in depth."

In conversations and interactions with Chinese classmates, Wu Yanting traced his roots and explored the identity of the Chinese.He realized that youth exchanges were of great significance in promoting people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and then he joined the "Business China" youth group in Singapore as the vice president of external relations.There, he saw that Singaporean youths with bilingual and bicultural backgrounds were increasingly paying attention to the development and changes in China.

"China's profound cultural heritage is enough to attract the attention of young people from all over the world, and the improvement of cultural soft power is one of the reasons why Singaporean youths have begun to explore China." Wu Yanting observed that as Chinese film and television works become popular overseas, variety shows from China , music and other popular culture are popular in Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore.

In addition, "Many Chinese brands such as Huawei, Haidilao, and Luckin Coffee have successively 'settled' in Singapore. I believe that in the near future, more Singaporean youths will deepen their interest in China through Chinese products sold overseas." Wu Yanting said .

On the first morning in Yunnan, Wu Yanting and his companions walked into the "Internet celebrity" Zhuanxin Farmers Market, got to know Kunming from a bowl of special bean curd rice noodles, and felt the city fireworks in the morning market."Unlike Singapore's indoor morning market, Yunnan's market space is open and has a wide variety of products. You can feel the enthusiasm of local people's life."

After walking deeply into Yunnan, Wu Yanting praised, "Everywhere I went was beyond my expectation." He was shocked by "Image of Yunnan" which condensed Yunnan's multi-ethnic culture and art. "The rich culture of the 26 living ethnic groups shows the Chinese culture is diverse, wonderful and inclusive.”

After visiting Xishuangbanna, the “land of elephants” and the “Kingdom of Animals and Plants”, Wu Yanting said, “Through Yunnan, I saw the balance between local development and protection and the biodiversity protection experience that the world can learn from.”

▲The picture shows Wu Yanting (second from left) and his companions taking a group photo at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on September 18.Photo by reporter Li Jiaxian

In the Yunnan Railway Museum, a map of the "Pan-Asian Railway" starting from Kunming, China, passing through Laos, Thailand, and Malaysia and arriving in Singapore attracted the attention of young people from all over the world.Under the "One Belt, One Road" initiative, the China-Laos railway was opened, and the "Pan-Asia Railway" is extending along an increasingly clear "track"."If the idea is gradually realized, I believe it can unleash the potential of Southeast Asia's interconnection." Wu Yanting said.

Looking back on this trip, Wu Yanting forged friendships with young people from all over the world and gained a lot."In the future, I hope to continue to exert my strength to create opportunities for Singaporean youth to study and practice in China, and to promote deeper exchanges between the youth of the two countries."