The 15th China-ASEAN Cultural Forum will kick off on Dec. 8 in the city of Guilin, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, featuring the preservation of cultural heritage, according to the local culture and tourism department.

To be held both online and offline, the forum will see exchanges of experience in the protection and passing down of cultural heritage between China and the ASEAN member states, which include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

It will also explore ways of integrating cultural heritage and tourism, and the possibilities for cooperation between China and ASEAN countries in this area, according to the department.

For the first time, a weeklong event featuring cultural and art exchanges between the two sides will kick off on the sidelines of the forum, also in Guilin on the night of Dec. 8. It will include a series of performances, exhibits and panel discussions on music, dance, film, theatre and art education.

Students from ASEAN countries studying in China will collaborate with their Chinese peers to stage a variety show during the week. Malaysian and Laotian film exhibitions will also be highlights of the event.

The 15th China-ASEAN Cultural Forum is part of the 17th China-ASEAN Expo, which will kick off in late November in Nanning, capital of Guangxi, as an important platform to promote trade and relations between China and ASEAN.