The fourth China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week opened in Guiyang city, Guizhou priovince, China, on Aug. 17.

The programme aimed to further strengthen education cooperation between China and ASEAN member countries, including the implementation of the 100,000 Students Exchange Programme, boosting cultural exchange and development in the region.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Chinese Deputy Minister of Education Hao Ping underlined the need for universities in China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to step up cooperation in training international talent in the context of globalisation.

Attention should be paid to improving creativity of students and nurture their international vision, the deputy minister said.

On the occasion, ASEAN Deputy Secretary General Misran Karmain expressed his hope that the programme would contribute to further enhancing the bilateral education cooperation and building sustainable cooperative relations between the two sides.

Official statistics released by China's Ministry of Education showed that from 2008 to 2010, the number of ASEAN students studying in China surged from 34,000 to 49,000, registering an average annual increase of 7,420 students, according to China’s Xinhua News Agency.

The number of Chinese studying in ASEAN member countries ballooned from 68,000 to 82,000 over the same period of time, increasing by 6,960 students each year./.