Southeast Asian youth thrive in China

Connecting the world

Tan Chau En, a 23-year-old Malaysian student at the Communication University of China (CUC), has been pleasantly surprised by the convenience of online shopping in China — especially when it comes to ordering flowers through the delivery app Meituan.

"I was amazed that the flowers I order online always look just like the pictures shown by the seller," she said.

Her love for flowers began with her family's garden in Malaysia. "However, due to the climate, we could only grow a limited selection," she explained. "In China, there are flowers for every season — some I had never seen before."

She also noticed that flowers in China are much more affordable. "For example, baby's breath is common here but it's rare and expensive in Malaysia," she said. "Here, I can easily buy it — even at the flower shop on my campus."

Beyond flowers, Tan said one of her most surprising shopping experiences was using the secondhand trading platform Xianyu.

"You can find just about anything there at incredibly low prices," she said, adding that her friend even managed to score a discontinued charge-coupled device (CCD) camera for a bargain.

Tan has observed that in recent years, China has become an increasingly popular destination for young Malaysians looking to study or travel abroad.

Reflecting on her own experience studying announcing and anchoring at CUC, she pointed out that Malaysia once lacked well-developed institutions for art-related examinations. However, after many Malaysians returned from studying in China, they began setting up training centers and programs in anchoring, acting, and other artistic fields.

"For Malaysian Chinese, studying in China is particularly appealing because of the language they share," Tan said. "While I visited English-speaking countries, I often felt like just a tourist. But in China, I feel a strong sense of belonging."

As a student majoring in pop music, Lim said she has been deeply inspired by Chinese vocal techniques and stage performances. "I hope to blend Chinese pop music with traditional Malaysian elements to create a unique, cross-cultural style," she said.

Dao, who studies international economics and trade, plans to build a career in China-Vietnam trade after graduation.

"China and Vietnam are right next to each other, and their economies really work well together, which opens up a lot of opportunities for trade," she said. "I'm planning to do some internships in China, and in the future, I hope to use what I've learned and the connections I've made to help boost trade between the two countries."

Liu Shicheng contributed to this story.