Malaysian youths experience provincial intangible cultural heritage Jiama woodcut prints at the Yunnan Nationalities Museum in Kunming, Yunnan province, on Tuesday. [Photo provided to China Daily]

A bilateral youth exchange program is bringing 41 university students from China and Malaysia together this month to explore cultural similarities and share their experiences in heritage and ecological conservation.

The China-Malaysia Youth Leaders Camp, organized by Yunnan University, brought participants to Kunming and Lijiang in Southwest China's Yunnan province from Oct 10 to 13. The program continues in Kuala Lumpur and Malacca, Malaysia, from Wednesday to Sunday.

For Yvonne Lim, a 20-year-old Malaysian Chinese student at Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology, one of the highlights of the Yunnan trip was discovering the Dongba script of the Naxi ethnic group in Lijiang.

"I'm particularly drawn to their script because it resembles a form of drawing to me. I appreciate how each symbol carries its own unique meaning," said Lim.

During a visit to the Yunnan Nationalities Museum in Kunming on Tuesday, she was also struck by the diversity of traditional clothing and accessories on display.

"I used to only know about the Miao and Han ethnic groups, but seeing the traditional attire of different groups made me realize just how many ethnic groups live here," she said.

Chinese participants also sought ways to explain Yunnan's cultural diversity through experiences familiar to their Malaysian counterparts.

Jia Fanqi, an undergraduate at Yunnan University, said some Malaysian students were curious about how Lijiang became home to a blend of ethnic cultures.

She drew a comparison between Malaysia's historical role as a maritime trading crossroads and Lijiang's position along the ancient Tea Horse Road, where trade and travel facilitated exchanges among different ethnic groups.

"When telling our stories, we need to present them in ways our audiences can understand," Jia said.

Ecological conservation is another focus of the exchange. At Yulong Snow Mountain in Lijiang, Malaysian students learned about local efforts to protect the mountain's environment.

Zheng Li, a 31-year-old doctoral student at Yunnan University, said the visitors were impressed by the conservation efforts.

"The snow mountain has been exceptionally well-preserved, leaving the Malaysian youths in awe throughout their visit," said Zheng. "The key to success here lies in community-based conservation. Local residents are informed about preservation guidelines and receive appropriate compensation, enabling them to improve their quality of life while actively participating in ecosystem protection."

During the upcoming visit to Malaysia, the Malaysian youths also plan to help their Chinese counterparts gain a deeper understanding of their culture.

Lim noted that she plans to share a variety of delicious foods with the Chinese youths, including not only Chinese cuisine but also traditional Malay and Indian dishes.

"I really like the baju kurung, the traditional Malaysian attire. This clothing carries its own significance, and I plan to share its cultural meaning with my Chinese counterparts," she said.

Looking ahead, she believed that youth from China and Malaysia can play a more significant role in promoting cultural exchanges between the two countries.