On October 26, in an interview in Nanning, Zhou Yunkui, the Deputy Secretary and Deputy Director of the Emergency Management Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, expressed his hopes for ASEAN international students participating in a training program. “I hope these students will take the emergency response knowledge and skills they acquire back to their ASEAN countries, becoming key players in fostering regional emergency cooperation and development.”

During the “First Responders Training Program for 1,000 ASEAN International Students,” Zhou emphasized the close cultural and geographical ties between ASEAN countries and Guangxi. He noted that the cooperation between the two has deepened across various fields, keeping the friendship evergreen. The initiative to host this training program aligns with the Department’s efforts to advance China-ASEAN emergency management exchanges, serving as a crucial step in nurturing emergency management talent within ASEAN nations.

The training primarily focuses on an internationally accredited first aid course, covering essential topics such as basic first aid knowledge, CPR, and trauma care, while also touching on relevant Chinese emergency response laws and regulations.

“I hope everyone will become informed first responders, equipped with practical skills to organize emergency responses and initiate rescue efforts immediately when accidents occur, thereby helping to protect people’s lives and property,” Zhou stated. Guangxi aims to provide emergency response training for 1,000 ASEAN students in the region over the next five years and will award them with “United Nations First Responder” training certificates.

The Guangxi Safety Engineering Vocational and Technical College, the only safety and emergency-focused vocational institution in the region, is responsible for conducting this training. Its president, Ma Li, highlighted that the college established an emergency rescue training base with the Guangxi Red Cross this past May, creating a collaborative “dream factory” for emergency rescue training that will provide comprehensive and practical emergency response education to ASEAN students.

Wang Ruoying, a Thai student majoring in Chinese Language and Literature, shared her motivation, saying, “My grandfather is a rescue volunteer. I want to be like him, able to respond effectively to emergencies while also better protecting myself.” She aspires to become a translator and work in the healthcare field, believing that acquiring professional rescue knowledge will bring her closer to her dreams.