KUALA LUMPUR, April 10 (Xinhua) -- It is important for ASEAN and China to step up efforts to promote civilizational exchanges and set an example for the Global South countries to highlight rich cultural, historical, and intellectual contributions, said Wong Chun Wai, chairman of Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama).
Thanks to "Black Myth: Wukong," a 2024 action role-playing game and Ne Zha 2, an animated movie, these two classic Chinese figures have become big names, he told Xinhua in a recent interview.
"China has successfully proven its effective soft power approach to a global audience ... which has been made possible through the clever and creative use of digital and artificial intelligence applications," he said.
More importantly, it has reached the global young audiences in an unprecedented manner, which has long been dominated by the West, he added.
In the case of Malaysia and other ASEAN countries, Wong said virtual and augmented reality experiences can be shared to create the Malacca historic city, the legendary hero Hang Tuah, or Cambodia's Angkor Wat through an immersive walk-through.
As the ASEAN chair for 2025, Malaysia will leverage the unique opportunity to shape regional narratives and strengthen ASEAN-China collaboration, Wong said, highlighting content and technical exchanges among Malaysia and Chinese media outlets, joint studies on trade, green energy, and artificial intelligence by Malaysia and Chinese think tanks, and partnerships at various levels including cultural and youth engagements.
Wong also stressed the importance of promoting positive narratives on how ASEAN-China cooperation has led to numerous beneficial infrastructure projects, as well as at the private sector level.
Sharing of ideas, values, traditions, and innovations between different cultures and civilizations will help foster mutual respect, reduce prejudices, and build a more interconnected and harmonious world, he said.
Wong is the first ethnic Chinese chairman of Bernama, Malaysia's official news agency. Over the years, Wong has made multiple visits to China, witnessing the country's rapid development and the deepening cooperation between Malaysia and China across various fields.
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