The global entrepreneurship trend is increasingly attracting young academics from Southeast Asia. After completing her master's degree at Guizhou Normal University, a Vietnamese national named Tran Le Huong Giang took a strategic step by establishing an international trade company in the Guian New Area, Guiyang, China.
This new company focuses on cross-border trade, translation services, and Mandarin language training. Giang revealed that she sees great opportunities in the rising demand for bilingual personnel due to the close trade relations between China and Vietnam. Soon, her company will even prepare to facilitate visits from Vietnamese business delegations looking to explore the artificial intelligence (AI) and lithium battery sectors in the region.
A similar step was taken by Cai Hong, a Laotian alumnus from Guizhou Minzu University. Cai established a commodity trade and cultural exchange business that leverages the strategic connectivity of the China-Laos Railway. His business focuses on exporting Guizhou's specialty products such as tea and Moutai liquor, and importing agricultural products such as durian and coffee from Laos.
This phenomenon is inseparable from the full support of the local government through the establishment of the China-Guiyang Guian International Talent Entrepreneurship Park. This business incubator has already accommodated at least 15 startup companies owned by ASEAN students by providing free office space and simplifying the business licensing process.
During the China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week 2026, the integration between education and the industrial sector was deemed a key element. The Cambodian Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports emphasized that this synergy is crucial for equipping the youth with relevant practical skills to drive sustainable economic development in the region.
