I recently returned from a trip to Nanning, a southern Chinese city near the Vietnam border and the capital of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It was my first visit to the city, often referred to as the "Green City" due to its remarkable forest coverage and subtropical climate.
I attended the "10+1" China-ASEAN Statistical Cooperation & Development Forum 2024, which brought together representatives from ten Southeast Asian nations. Together with China, these "10+1" countries have a combined population of over 2 billion, nearly a quarter of the world's population. The Forum aims to promote regional collaboration and capacity development through statistical innovation. On October 23, I delivered a keynote speech titled "A New Era of Statistical Work: Driving Social Progress for All," in which I underscored the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in statistical work. I advocated for closer and broader cross-sector collaborations, the promotion of adaptive and friendly AI regulations, and increased investments in statistical capacity development, particularly in developing countries. I emphasized the ISI's commitment to working with China and ASEAN partners in these areas.
Commissioner Kang Yi from the National Bureau of Statistics China inaugurated the Forum with opening remarks, calling for stronger China-ASEAN statistical cooperation and exchanges, enhancement of statistical education and talent programs, deepening research on statistical innovation, and promoting digital economies in the region. Representatives from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam shared experiences in their statistical work in their respective speeches.
My main takeaway from the Forum is the immense potential for statistical capacity development in this region. The existing infrastructure and goodwill represented by the Forum are encouraging for the evolving ISI Academy. It is imperative for the ISI to leverage its expansive global network and expertise, partnering with regional players to promote good statistical practices worldwide. In my conversation with Anang Laksono, Head of the Statistics Division of the ASEAN Secretariat, we recognised significant alignment between the major goals of the ISI and his division. Clearly, there is much we can achieve together.
Another significant part of my Nanning visit was a day spent at the China-ASEAN Institute of Statistics at Guangxi University of Finance and Economics. This institute, dedicated to training statistics students and interns in the region, is the first of its kind. Established in 2021, it rapidly developed with a new building, now offering majors in Statistics, Economic Statistics, and Applied Statistics. Most students are from China, but the first cohort from ASEAN countries arrived last year.
Due to Nanning’s strategic location and the support from the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region government, the institute plans to expand its educational programs, offering Bachelor's and Master’s degrees and professional training for statistical workers in Southeast Asia. I was moved by their ambition. During my visit, I gave a lecture on the "Integration of Artificial Intelligence in Statistical Work," and briefed the university and institute administrators on the ISI’s willingness to contribute our expertise to their programs. Their commitment to regional statistical capacity development is commendable, and I fully anticipate their success will inspire many others in the developing world.
I wish I had more time to explore the great city of Nanning on this trip. Nonetheless, I am grateful for the insights I gained about the collaborative spirit and concrete action plans for statistical capacity development in the region. The world needs the ISI to step up, and we must get ready to make a difference.
