ASEAN Journalists make fun-filled tour of Nanning

A group of media professionals from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, together with their Chinese counterparts, made an action-packed tour of Nanning, capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in south China, on Monday, as part of the ASEAN Media Partners "China Up Close" Joint Media Tour.

The campaign was launched at the opening ceremony of the 2025 ASEAN Media Partners Cooperation Week in Nanning on Monday.

They visited an exhibition showing the China Media Group (CMG)'s technological innovation, experiencing its artificial intelligence-powered production platform in person.

The exhibits include an AI voice cloning solution which can create highly authentic voiceovers by collecting voice samples from reporters, demonstrating the latest breakthrough of AI in the field of speech synthesis.

Meanwhile, an AI-powered clothes changer also attracted many journalists, with creative instant try-on images generated by uploading a photo and selecting clothing and scenes.

At Nanning's Xiangsi Town, ASEAN media professionals wandered through glowing alleys, discovered vibrant street food, dived into the buzzing nightlife, made ethnic handicrafts and watched cultural performances.

"I think this place is very unique and the atmosphere is great. The government did a good job because it has preserved such precious culture. The buildings are also beautiful. I'm happy to have the opportunity to come here today. I find it's a well-developed place. If Thai people have the chance to come here, they will share my feelings," said Piyawan Prametthawanich, a news anchor with Nation TV of Thailand.

The group also visited the Sanjie Liangxiang (three streets and two alleys) historical and cultural quarter in the heart of Old Nanning to learn about the city's traditional folk culture and new forms of cultural tourism.

"I really love this blend of cultural industry, old streets, and traditional art performance we just enjoyed. I feel that it can provide a rich and fulfilling experience of knowledge and entertainment here," said Andy Qiu, CEO of Radio Bharata of Indonesia.

The campaign will run through November 7, which will take the journalists to Liuzhou, the second largest city in Guangxi and the region's industrial center, for further interviews and study.