The opening ceremony of the autumn camp. [Photo/www.chinaqw.com]

The opening ceremony of a root-seeking autumn camp for overseas Chinese youth in 2019 was recently held in Nanning, capital of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. There are two camps this year — the Nanning Camp and the Guangxi Overseas Chinese School Camp.

In the 10 days after the ceremony, about 160 Thai Chinese teenagers will learn about traditional Chinese culture in Guangxi. The camp will include courses about Chinese language and martial arts, as well as Zhuang cultural experiences through cooking local specialties, learning folk songs and taking sightseeing tours.

Pan Weihong, vice president of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, gave a speech at the ceremony. Pan said Thailand and China had been neighbors and close friends for a long time, and the two countries were like members of one family. He expressed his wishes for the campers to concentrate on their courses and tours in order to gain as much knowledge as they could in the upcoming days. It is a rare opportunity for the teens to learn about Guangxi and experience Chinese culture, which will increase their knowledge of their ancestral home country, he added. He also wished that after returning to Thailand, the campers would continue to study Chinese culture and introduce China to Thai people.

Huang Huazhen, member of the Party committee of the Guangxi Overseas Chinese School, also hoped the campers could share with friends their experiences in China so the friendship of the two countries will deepen. She welcomed overseas Chinese to study at the school.

According to Su Baili, a representative of the government of Khon Kaen, Thailand, this autumn camp is not only a new trial, but also a process of growth for the teenagers. She hoped the campers could learn more Chinese language and culture, and get more familiar with China.

Campers and officials attending the ceremony. [Photo/www.chinaqw.com]

Hong Xi, representative of campers from the Thailand Western Chinese School Association, considered the camp a chance for youth to challenge and improve themselves. He would like to pay full attention to everyday life as well as his courses.

Su Weining, a camper from the government of Khon Kaen, also expressed her desire to study hard, make friends, learn the culture and customs of China and improve her Chinese. She will tell her family and friends what she saw and heard during the tour in China, and let more friends who love Chinese culture know about China's development.