The graduation season is fast-paced and busy. Wu Huiying, a graduate of the International Economics and Trade program at Central University of Finance and Economics and of Chinese descent from Malaysia, had just attended the college’s graduation ceremony before beginning to plan her next phase of studies. After graduation, Wu Huiying chose to continue her education in China. In September of this year, she will enter Tsinghua University to begin her studies for a master’s degree in finance.

“During my undergraduate studies, I interned at several cross-border e-commerce companies and financial institutions. During this time, I discovered that while economic and trade exchanges between China and ASEAN are very close, there is a severe shortage of versatile financial professionals who truly understand both markets, policies, and are capable of cross-cultural communication.” Wu Huiying said. The undergraduate phase of her education primarily served as a foundation. She aimed to further solidify her knowledge base during the graduate phase, focusing on digital trade and green finance, in order to bridge her own knowledge gaps.

Li Lie-Sheng, a graduate of Peking University’s Guanghua School of Management for the class of 2026, is also from Malaysia. However, he has been busy packing up his belongings recently. Soon, he will return to Malaysia.

After completing a four-year undergraduate degree in finance in China, Li Ling-sheng decided to enter the workforce directly, focusing on investment management work related to his field of study. “During my second year of university, I had an internship in the finance industry, which made me familiar with business logic,” Li Ling-sheng said. He plans to first gain industry experience in Malaysia’s local market and prepare for the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) exam. “During my time studying in China, I witnessed the wave of Chinese companies going global and the rising opportunities in the Southeast Asian market. Once I have gained sufficient industry knowledge, I will return to China to further my education or career.” he added.

Unlike the older generation of overseas Chinese and ethnic Chinese, who primarily engaged in traditional commerce and the restaurant industry, the younger generation of overseas Chinese and ethnic Chinese youth is now entering various fields, such as financial investment, digital economy, and Chinese language education, thanks to their cross-cultural communication skills.

“Graduation is not just an end; it’s the beginning of a new career,” said Yang Mingkai, a Thai national who graduated from Huaqiao University’s Department of International Chinese Education. As a fourth-generation Chinese, he was raised in a family that encouraged him to learn Chinese from a young age. He completed both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Huaqiao University. Last year, while still a graduate student, he founded a Chinese language teaching and study abroad service agency. Standing at the crossroads of graduation, Yang Mingkai decided to return to Thailand to continue his work. “Many Thai students want to learn about China but don’t know where to start. My roots are in China, and I’m familiar with both countries’ education systems. I believe I’m well-suited for this work and am determined to do it well,” Yang Mingkai said.

Chen Xiangjian, an overseas Chinese and a graduate of the Advertising Department at Jinan University, plans to return to Ecuador in South America. There, his parents run a Chinese supermarket, importing all its goods from Yiwu, Zhejiang Province, China. As a child, he accompanied his parents on their business ventures abroad, gradually becoming an assistant to them. By the time of his graduation, he had already devised a plan for transforming the family’s supermarket. “While the business run by my parents is stable, the management style is relatively traditional. I want to apply the knowledge I’ve learned in China to bring some changes to their business,” he said. (Looking into the New Era)