China, Malaysia to benefit from strengthened cultural, youth exchanges: Malaysian think tank chief

The International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations is a crucial initiative to promote intercultural understanding, according to Malaysian think tank head Danial Rahman, who said that enhanced China-Malaysia cultural and educational cooperation would yield mutual benefits for both nations.

Last year, with the unanimous support of all member states, the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted the resolution initiated by China and other 82 countries, which declared June 10 the International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations.

In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Rahman, the CEO of the Malaysian think-tank Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute, said the day was especially significant in the prevailing global climate where studying conflict is more common than studying cooperation.

"I think it's really timely and really important. What we see around the world more commonly are departments of war studies in places of learning, and people want to study the causes of war. But it's very rare that we find the study of peace and how do you build dialogue and how do you build civilizations. And that is why this International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations is really important. I take cognizant of the fact that it was mooted within the United Nations in 2023 and last year the resolution was passed by, of course, China with the support of 80 nations, which also shows that there's strong support and a strong recognition of the importance of dialogue," he said.

Rahman pointed to centuries-old cultural connections between China and Malaysia, with contemporary ties flourishing through tourism and education.

"So what we see is that there are a lot of mutualities between Malaysia from a cultural, from an expressive perspective. Now there's also something very interesting that's coming up. Last year Malaysia received about 3.7 million tourists from China, and next year in 2026 will be 'Visit Malaysia Year,'" said Rahman.

He stressed that youth exchanges will remain a vital driving force for bilateral relations.

"An area very passionate for me is education. I believe that there are about 33,000, over 30,000, students from China who are currently studying in Malaysia. I think fundamentally we also have to see that one of the greatest strengths between Malaysia and China are our youth population. We have a lot of young people who are very eager to go out there and learn about the world, and I think this is an area which China and Malaysia can definitely continue to strengthen our ties," Rahman said.

China, Malaysia to benefit from strengthened cultural, youth exchanges: Malaysian think tank chief

China and the European Union (EU) have agreed that it is necessary to provide general guidance on price undertakings for Chinese exporters of passenger battery electric vehicles to the EU, China's commerce ministry said on Monday.

The move aims to address relevant concerns in a more practical, targeted, and consistent manner with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, according to the Ministry of Commerce in a statement.

Accordingly, the European Commission will issue a Guidance Document on Submission of Price Undertaking Offers. In the document, the EU confirms that it will assess each undertaking application under the same legal criteria, in accordance with the principle of non-discrimination and relevant WTO rules, in an objective and fair manner.

The progress fully reflects the spirit of dialogue and the outcomes of consultations between China and the EU. It shows that both China and the EU have the ability and willingness to properly resolve differences through dialogue and consultation within the framework of WTO rules, thereby maintaining the stability of automotive industrial and supply chains in China, the EU, and the whole world. This is conducive not only to ensuring the healthy development of China-EU economic and trade relations, but also to safeguarding the rules-based international trade order, the statement said.

On the same day, the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (CCCME) also issued a statement welcoming the positive outcome of the consultations.

The CCCME noted that eligible Chinese EV makers may now submit price undertaking applications in accordance with the EU's guidance, and the European Commission has pledged to review all applications objectively, fairly, and under uniform standards.

The proper settlement of this case meets the shared expectations of industries along the EV supply chain in both China and Europe. It will help ensure the security and stability of related industrial and supply chains and safeguard the broader China-EU economic and trade relationship, the CCCME said.

The chamber expressed appreciation for the substantial efforts made by China's Ministry of Commerce in defending the interests of the domestic industry. It also pledged to encourage and support relevant Chinese enterprises in making full use of the consultation outcomes to protect their interests in exporting to the EU and promote healthy cooperation between the industries of both sides.

China, EU agree on price undertaking guidance for Chinese electric vehicle exporters: commerce ministry