NANNING, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- The 2025 ASEAN-Oriented Cultural Exchange and Cooperation Forum was held on Monday in Liuzhou, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, with participants from China, ASEAN countries and international organizations in attendance.

Themed "Museums and Future of Cities," the forum was co-hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's international exchange and cooperation bureau and the regional department of culture and tourism of Guangxi.

Experts and scholars held discussions on two topics: industrial heritage protection and the sustainable development, and integration of digital technologies with museums. They discussed practices that use AI, AR/VR and big data for the digital preservation of cultural relics, innovative exhibition storytelling and enhanced visitor experiences.

According to Hab Touch, permanent secretary of state of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts of Cambodia, the forum is of great significance as it enables participants to learn from one another, address common challenges, and tap new opportunities for regional cooperation in the digital era.

Formerly known as the China-ASEAN Cultural Forum, the event has been held 19 times and is a high-level exchange platform in the field of humanities between China and ASEAN.

The forum's host region, Guangxi, is at the forefront of China's opening-up and cooperation with ASEAN.  ■