Heritage as a Bridge: A Vietnamese Scholar on China–ASEAN Understanding
This article is compiled from a speech given by Duong Van Huy at the Dialogue on China-ASEAN Cultural Heritage, with light editing for length and clarity.
As people-to-people exchanges between China and ASEAN deepen, cultural heritage is no longer simply a matter of "preserving history." Increasingly, it is being tied to economic development, community participation and regional cooperation.
For a long time, ASEAN countries have watched closely how China has promoted heritage preservation amid rapid modernization and used cultural exchange to drive economic growth. These experiences carry important lessons for the whole region.
In my view, one question deserves particular attention today: how can cultural heritage preserve its historical value while also creating long-term social and economic value?
In recent years, the "heritage economy" has become a major topic of discussion across Asia. But the heritage economy does not mean simply commercializing cultural heritage. Rather, it means recognizing afresh the comprehensive value of heritage in tourism, education, cultural industries and local development.
Whether historical sites, traditional crafts, languages, rituals or other forms of intangible cultural heritage——they all preserve historical memory while harboring enormous potential for development.
In a sense, the answers to many contemporary development problems are hidden in the history of past cultural exchanges. Over the centuries, trade, maritime navigation, the spread of religions and population movements have forged deep ties between China and Southeast Asia — and cultural heritage is the most authentic testimony to that historical interaction.
But heritage preservation cannot rely on governments alone. More importantly, local communities must be genuinely involved.
This is especially critical when cultural heritage is being converted into economic value: whether local residents can participate in and benefit from this process is a decisive question. If heritage development is disconnected from local society, heritage loses its real vitality.
That is why I believe a "people-centered" approach to heritage development is essential.
Cultural heritage should not be preserved in a static way; it should truly "live" and be "brought to life," becoming part of contemporary social life. Only when community members can improve their lives, gain employment and take part in cultural industries through heritage can heritage preservation be sustainable.
This is, in fact, a relatively new perspective. In the past, the emphasis fell on the archaeological and historical value of heritage. Today, we must also value its social and economic worth.
Of course, sustainable development must remain the core premise of building a heritage economy.
We must not over-commercialize heritage for short-term economic gain, nor sacrifice cultural authenticity. Finding the balance among preservation, tourism development, community interests and the ecological environment is a challenge every country must face.
Cultural communication matters just as much.
How do we help the younger generation truly understand cultural heritage? How can film, digital technology, museums, education and new media bring heritage into public life in ways that are easier to perceive and understand? These are questions worth continued exploration.
In my view, the most important mission of the heritage economy is not simply to drive economic growth, but to promote understanding and exchange among people. This is especially true for China–ASEAN relations.
China and ASEAN are geographically close and culturally connected, with a long history of close interaction. Yet even today, we still need to strengthen mutual understanding — and cultural heritage cooperation is an important platform for achieving that goal.
In recent years, exchanges between China and ASEAN in archaeology, museum cooperation, tourism, education and cultural research have been growing. But compared with the overall scale of the relationship, there remains considerable room for expansion.
In the future, cultural heritage cooperation should not remain a series of one-off cultural events; it should become a long-term mechanism for people-to-people exchange and a platform for dialogue among civilizations.
As China's vision of "exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations" emphasizes, different civilizations need exchange to enhance understanding, and mutual learning to achieve common development. I believe this vision has particular relevance for China and ASEAN today.
In the future, cultural heritage will not only connect us to the past — it can also help China and ASEAN build a foundation for deeper regional trust, mutual understanding and common development.
(If you have specific expertise, or would like to share your thoughts, please send us your writings at CAobservation@outlook.com)
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