China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have joined forces to advance the "silver economy" through artificial intelligence (AI).
The China-ASEAN Smart Health and Wellness Industry Integration Community was officially established on July 10 in Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The event brought together representatives from numerous Chinese educational institutions, medical facilities, senior care organizations, smart technology companies, and industry delegates from ASEAN member states to discuss leveraging AI to empower the elderly care economy.
Both China and ASEAN nations are experiencing accelerated population aging, which is driving demand for upgrades in elderly care services and advancements in health and wellness technologies. Han Yuanli, President of the Guangxi Big Health Industry Association, addressed the gathering, highlighting Guangxi's unique position as a gateway for cooperation with ASEAN and its rich resources in longevity and wellness. He emphasized the vast potential for collaboration between China and ASEAN countries in areas such as cross-border talent exchange, joint technological research, and mutual recognition of industry standards.
The community was initiated by a consortium of Chinese schools and enterprises and has attracted participation from universities in Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, and other nations. Wei Haijin, Secretary of the Party Committee at Liuzhou City Vocational College, outlined the community's plans. These include establishing a China-ASEAN cloud platform for sharing resources related to smart health and wellness education and industry, regularly hosting international exchange forums, and prioritizing collaborative efforts in cross-border talent development, joint R&D of wellness technologies, mutual recognition of elderly-friendly service standards within ASEAN, and the co-creation and sharing of bilingual educational materials.
Speaking as a representative of a member organization, Kim Myeong-yong, Vice President of the Korea Smart Care Convergence Association, noted China's strong technological capabilities in AI, the Internet of Things, digital health, and robotics. He expressed optimism about the prospects for cooperation with China in the field of smart health and wellness.
Wang Shenyuan, former Executive Deputy Secretary of the Training Center of China's Ministry of Civil Affairs, pointed out that the cooperation between China and ASEAN in smart health and wellness integration should focus on joint talent cultivation, standard development, resource sharing, and market expansion. He suggested utilizing the development of the New Western Land-Sea Corridor to facilitate the faster "going global" of Chinese AI-powered wellness products, technologies, and services into ASEAN markets. Concurrently, he recommended introducing high-quality wellness resources and distinctive service models from ASEAN to further enrich China's wellness service offerings, achieving mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.
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