ASEAN should not allow external interference in managing relations with China: expert

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should not allow any external parties to engage if it has undressed issues with China, said an Indonesian expert, citing the instabilities foreign forces have brought to conflict-ridden regions such as eastern Ukraine and the Middle East.

In an interview with CGTN commenting on the upcoming 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, Humprey Arnaldo Russel, head of ASEAN-China Research Center at University of Indonesia, emphasized the importance of the Bandung Spirit in shaping China-ASEAN relations, highlighting the independence of countries in the region in addressing internal issues.

"I think ASEAN and China, we have the same value, right? I do hope that especially from the ASEAN side, we should not allow any external parties to engage if we have any undressed issues with China, because we have to learn from what happened in Ukraine, what happened in the Middle East. If all countries want peace, probably we will work together to find (it). Because in 30 years of our dialog relation, we can keep this region stable, and also, we can maintain peace and stability in the region," said the expert.

Seven decades ago, then Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai put forth in full the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence for the first time - "mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, mutual non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence."

The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence have been widely accepted and recognized by countries across the world. They have become an important norm governing contemporary international relations, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

June 28 marks the 70th anniversary of the China-proposed Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, a crucial component of the Bandung Spirit.

In the 1955 Bandung Conference, leaders and representatives of 29 Asian and African countries, which had just won independence, proposed the Bandung Spirit with "solidarity, friendship and cooperation" at the core. And that Bandung Spirit has laid a foundation for China-Indonesia and China's relations with what's known as the Global South today.

ASEAN should not allow external interference in managing relations with China: expert

ASEAN should not allow external interference in managing relations with China: expert

Mahya Mirsadeghi, a vlogger from Iran currently studying in Beijing, is recording her traveling experience in China through videos and telling her stories to subscribers on social media platforms, with a hope to show a real China to the world.

While studying and traveling in the country, Mirsadeghi was impressed by the safety, which encouraged her to travel more with her sister and friends.

"What I love the most about China is how safe it is for solo travelers, especially girls. My sister and I, we are two young girls traveling all over China. We never felt unsafe, to be honest," she said.

In the vast country, Xi'an, the historic city in northwest China, is her favorite destination because she shares the same culture with the local Muslim community.

"The reason behind that is that I'm a Muslim, and Xi'an has a large population of Muslims. They are called 'Hui zu.' I shared many video content on different social media platforms such as Instagram, TickTok and YouTube telling my Muslim followers that Xi'an is amazing for you," she said.

The Iranian lady is also impressed by the inclusiveness and friendliness of the Chinese people.

"I enjoyed my time talking and hanging out with people and feeling the love and respect that they have towards foreigners. It's just amazing. I'm so grateful for that," said Mirsadeghi.

Mirsadeghi experienced the lifestyle of Chinese cities, and was surprised by the convenience of high-speed trains, shared bicycles, phone apps, and mobile payments.

"China is living in the future, because everything is done so fast and so convenient," she said.

She said her goal is to share her real-life experience with the world in response to rumors about China and to inspire more people like her to live and study in the country.

My goal is to show the true side of China to the world, because unfortunately, there are so many false propagandas, about China going around – about the food, about the culture, about hygiene, which is absolutely not true. So my goal is to show the other side of China to the world. And I was quite successful as I encourage and inspire, many Iranians and foreigners to come and study in China," said Mirsadeghi.

Iranian vlogger shares her real-life experience in China