Esports

Delegates at the China=ASEAN esports industry cooperation roundtable in Nanning, China, on November 6. Photos courtesy of VIRESA

HÀ NỘI — ASEAN in general and Việt Nam in particular expected strong development in esports after a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony with Chinese partner on November 6 in Nanning, China.

The event was one of the activities between the Organising Committee of the China-ASEAN Electronic Sports Competition (CAEC) and the Southeast Asian Esports Federation (SEAEF) who decide to cooperate and establish the CAEC-SEAEF Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) during the 2026 Esports Industry Cooperation Roundtable.

The cooperation framework aims to strengthen long-term China-ASEAN connections in esports competition, youth development, professional exchanges and the wider digital and creative industries.

The roundtable brought together leaders and representatives of Chinese government agencies, esports organisations and industry enterprises.

The SEAEF delegation included President of SEAEF and Việt Nam Recreational and Electronic Sports Association Đỗ Việt Hùng and leaders of national esports federations from across Southeast Asia.

Following the deal, the newly established JCC will provide a regular channel for the two organisations to develop annual cooperation plans, coordinate competition and federation engagement, advance joint initiatives and review progress. Its scope will include competition operations, technical standards, officiating, professional development, team participation arrangements and engagement with industry partners.

CAEC will retain responsibility for the organisation and operation of its competitions, while SEAEF will act as the regional federation coordination partner for Southeast Asia. The framework respects the independence of individual national federations: participation in specific programmes remains subject to each federation’s own decisions, requirements and resources.

President of SEAEF Đỗ Việt Hùng (right) and a CAEC representative at the Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony.

The MoU sets out areas for cooperation linking the main CAEC competition in Nanning with possible ASEAN stops, national qualifiers, international invitationals and youth exchange activities. The parties will also explore training programmes for athletes, coaches, referees and event professionals, alongside collaboration involving universities, publishers, technology companies, media and other industry stakeholders.

Cooperation may extend to host-city exchanges, cultural and tourism initiatives, event digitalisation, information security and sustainable event practices. Individual projects, resource commitments and commercial arrangements will be addressed through separate discussions and agreements as appropriate.

The parties support Nanning as the long-term host city for an Annual Joint Congress to review results, discuss future priorities and reinforce China-ASEAN cooperation. The specific organisation and resources of each gathering will be agreed separately.

The JCC’s first working meeting is envisaged for the first quarter of 2027, either in Nanning or online, alongside initial preparations for the Annual Joint Congress. The initial 2027 work programme is expected to focus on competition development, federation coordination, youth and professional exchanges, and industry partnerships.

Since 2024, the China-ASEAN Electronic Sports Competition has brought together athletes from ASEAN member states for competitive and exchange activities. The new coordination framework is intended to help develop that platform and broaden opportunities for national federations, participants and industry organisations across the region. — VNS