T

he launch of a documentary series on “ordinary” yet inspiring Indonesians marked the beginning of the China-ASEAN Year of Media Exchanges on Monday.

Set in 10 cities across Indonesia, the series follows the journey of Chinese TV hostess Zhu Dan as she learns about Indonesian cultures and values through encounters with 10 “ordinary people at the grassroots”.

Among them are award-winning Bali-based midwife Robin Lim, armless photographer Rosidah Badawi and androgynous male dancer Didik “Nini Thowok” Hadiprayitno.

The series began airing on Chinese movie platforms, including the YouTube-like Xigua, in November 2018, reportedly attracting nationwide attention.

“I am very happy to be able to learn about the beautiful Indonesia from people that spark optimism and strength,” Dan said during the launch, adding that it had taken around two years to finish 10 episodes.

As episodes on Indonesia have finished, Dan will bring the series to other ASEAN countries, starting with the Philippines.

“[The Indonesian series] is about stories of ordinary people at the grassroots. The stories are told among ‘us’, rather than ‘you’ versus ‘me’,” said Huang Xilian, Chinese Ambassador to ASEAN, during the launch on Monday evening.

“It reveals how much we have in common and what we can achieve in crosscultural communication.”

With 50 million visits made between China and ASEAN annually, he further said, China-ASEAN relations were moving to a new stage.

Therefore, how the people perceive, interact and treat each other would have a direct impact on the overall relationship and the region as a whole, he said.

“This documentary in some way offers inspiration and a useful reference.”

Huang then revealed that at the 21st China-ASEAN Summit held in Singapore in November 2018, country leaders agreed to name 2019 as the China-ASEAN Year of Media Exchanges.

He pointed out that the media had both “the power and responsibility to connect people and build bridges for understanding and appreciation”.

After the launch on Monday, Huang told The Jakarta Post that the China-ASEAN Year of Media Exchanges were meant to build mutual understanding between the region’s media platforms, so that they could report on ASEAN and China in an “equal, respective, appreciative and learning-manner” way.

He further said that the documentary was just a start as Beijing and ASEAN had planned other activities involving the media for 2019.

These include the ASEAN-China Media Summit and a series of media visits to China and several ASEAN countries.

“At the outset of the China-ASEAN Year of Media Exchanges, I sincerely hope that this will become a new starting point for us to better connect China and ASEAN, the region and beyond, and provide renewed confidence and a beacon of stability at a time fraught with uncertainties,” he said, adding that the activities would bring the people of both regions even closer and with a better understanding of each other.

Monday’s event also featured a mini exhibition on Chinese cultures, which included a calligraphy stand and a photo corner in which invitees could take pictures while wearing traditional Chinese costumes and masks.