On May 27, 2024, the Institute of Area Studies, Peking University (PKUIAS) held the second in the series of seminars on “How Generation Z Youth Understand Themselves and the World.” The event was co-sponsored by the PKUIAS, the Institute of International Communication Studies and Office of International Relations of Peking University, and co-organized by the Institute of American Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. This seminar was presided over by Zhang Yongle, deputy director of PKUIAS. International students from the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam and Latvia made presentations and had exchanges with doctoral students from the Institute of Area Studies. Wei Nanzhi, a research fellow at the Institute of American Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, provided opening remarks and commentary.
Prof. Zhang Yongle first introduced the main theme of the seminar. As the generation group born in the mid- and late 1990s to the early 21st century, the kids of Generation Z have been exposed to the Internet and the cultural tide that has spread via globalization ever since their birth, and have been immersed in the technological progress and cultural trends of the present decades. Prof. Zhang pointed out that building a more inclusive, open, and civilized world in the future depended on the joint efforts of all members of Generation Z. Therefore, this series of seminars aimed to promote cross-cultural connectivity among young students, and assist in the development of the academic community of area studies. This seminar would continue the achievements of the previous discussion and focus on topics such as intergenerational inequality, cultural convergence and conflict, the relationship between online and offline life, and the impact of technological change on life, Zhang said.
International students from eight countries and doctoral students from PKUIAS shared their views and experiences on the above-mentioned topics.
Gan Yi Ning, a student from Malaysia who is currently studying Finance at the School of Economics, said that, based on the current economic situation in Malaysia, her own life experience, and professional knowledge, she believed that Generation Z could access more information and opportunities through various channels, but also faced more complex and diverse choices than their predecessors. Meanwhile, based on her experience on social media platforms such as Xiaohongshu, she emphasized that young people needed to be more cautious in discerning the reliability of information. In addition, although online platforms such as Xiaohongshu were started in China, she said she believed they would also promote young people from China and Southeast Asian countries to share their valuable culture with each other.
Indonesian student Amelia Josephine, who is studying at Guanghua School of Management, said she believed that Generation Z had not only been the beneficiary of more information, but its members were also more passionate about expressing themselves than previous youth, making two-way information transmission possible. She also said that while Generation Z youth might not be able to choose some industries that young people were keen on in the past due to advanced information technology, they could use emerging technologies to make their careers grow rapidly and gain more opportunities for success.
Vietnamese student Tien Khanh Linh, who is an undergraduate majoring in Advertising at the School of Journalism and Communication, pointed out that although Vietnam’s economy had been developing rapidly in recent years, many young people in Vietnam, especially those from rural areas, still faced pressure from lack of employment opportunities and rising housing prices. In her view, there was also an issue of uneven distribution of educational resources in Vietnam among regions. With industrialization, Vietnam was also facing serious environmental pollution problems. In addition, with the impact of globalization and the Internet, Vietnamese young people were forming a more independent character, which was quite different from Vietnamese traditional culture.
Lance Lin, a student from the Philippines who is majoring International Trade at the School of Economics, expressed agreement with Gan Yi Ning’s viewpoint. He said he thought that the employment of Filipino students in China may be affected by the relationship between the two countries when they returned home. He also agreed that Generation Z youth were able to obtain and create more new opportunities with the help of Internet and other technologies. However, in the context of creating cultural convergence and resolving cultural conflicts, offline face-to-face communication was more important. In his view, the popularity of mobile Internet had also blurred the boundaries between online and offline. On the one hand, this enabled Generation Z youth to find more friends on the Internet; on the other hand, this could also easily make Generation Z feel anxious when comparing themselves to others on social media.
Kannika Pravavongsak, a Thai student who is studying at Yuanpei College, said she believes that Generation Z youth in Thailand were more concerned about economic issues such as employment, housing prices, and taxation. They were also much braver to speak out on social media platforms, which was subtly changing Thailand’s politics, society, and culture. She said that the promotion of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence had also had a significant impact on traditional industries and employment opportunities, and had also led to some creators’ efforts being underestimated by the market.
Lee Ke Hua, a Singaporean studying in the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, made observations about the economic development and history of Singapore and Malaysia, and went on to point out that Generation Z was more sensitive to the issue of social inequality. Moreover, based on his personal experience, he suggested that Singapore’s “National Service” policy could enhance individuals’ sense of national identity and foster cultural exchange among different ethnic groups. Regarding the increasingly blurred boundary between online and offline settings, he emphasized the need for Generation Z to learn to find an equilibrium between the two.
Lim Sokheang, a Cambodian who is currently a master’s student at the School of International Studies, said he believed that Generation Z is currently facing critical life choices, such as employment, marriage, and buying a house. Due to the increase in information and choices, Generation Z youth often felt lost and helpless. The life experience of their parents’ generation was not very helpful to their children in dealing with these life choices. In his view, urging from parents would further increase the pressure on Generation Z, thus causing misunderstandings and barriers between the two generations.
Kenh Sovath, who is also from Cambodia and currently working as a postdoctoral researcher at the National School of Development, said that, based on his educational experience and academic research, he thought that the aspirations of Generation Z and previous youth groups for a better future and a happier life were consistent. However, the tremendous changes brought about by globalization and technological progress led to an increasingly rapid pace of social development. In his view, the progress of trade and technology had provided more assistance for the exchange between young people in China and Southeast Asia. He said he believed that the development of Southeast Asian countries such as Cambodia also relied on the joint efforts of China and Southeast Asian youth. Through cooperation, it would be easier for both parties to form a strong friendship and identification.
Anzelika Smirnova, who is from Latvia, is currently a PhD student at the School of Journalism and Communication of Peking University. Drawing on her personal life experiences and professional background, she shared her opinion on the diversity of Generation Z. She said she believed that the information age had opened up new horizons for young people, allowing them to transcend geographical and cultural boundaries to communicate with people around the world. However, while technology had brought people closer together, the diverse roles of media and the involvement of capital had made the information dissemination ecosystem increasingly complex. This presented new challenges for creating an environment and atmosphere conducive to effective cross-cultural communication, requiring continuous exploration and practice in cross-cultural communication methods.
Liang Qianyu and Shi Youwei, who are both doctoral students from PKUIAS, discussed the common problems faced by Generation Z and their differences in life experiences based on their experiences of growing up as well as their research results, and exchanged ideas with the participating international students.
Wei Nanzhi commented on the speeches of the students who had presented their views and discussed the growth and development of Generation Z. Wei pointed out that due to differences in education and social resources, there were significant differences among Generation Z youth. It was difficult for Generation Z members with different growth backgrounds to reach consensus, even on the Internet.
In the next session, from the perspectives of economics, political science, international relations and communication studies, the students engaged in active discussion on how Generation Z could carry out cross-cultural communication and how its members could adapt to the challenges brought by new technological changes such as artificial intelligence. The viewpoints of the students attending the meeting not only reflected their national characteristics and personal life perceptions, but also showed the similarities and convergence of Generation Z youth in terms of their self-cognition, worldview and cultural identity. In the face of the more diverse and complex challenges ahead, only a mindset of respect, inclusiveness and balance could transform the changes brought about by globalization and digitization into peace and prosperity, Wei concluded.
