China and the ASEAN region have the world's youngest and most energetic populations. Nearly 319 million people in ASEAN, or half the population of the region, are under 30. China adds another 400 million youth aged 14 to 35, accounting for 28.4 percent of its population.

Yet, despite this enormous human potential, millions of young people are locked out of suitable work. Youth unemployment in the ASEAN region averages 11.1 percent, but the reality is far more uneven. It is just 4.1 percent in Singapore, but soars to 25.8 percent in Laos.

In countries like Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, and Timor-Leste, one in five young people is neither working, studying, nor training. Asia's next generation is ready to drive growth, but too many are being left on the sidelines.

Youth unemployment stems from a classic supply-and-demand mismatch. On the supply side, urban youth increasingly prefer knowledge-intensive, tech-driven roles over traditional sectors.

On the demand side, job growth in many regions has been too slow to absorb them, leaving millions underemployed despite their willingness and skills.

The digital economy is lighting a path for youth worldwide. Global digital markets are set to grow 9.5 percent in 2026, almost three times faster than the overall economy, reaching $28 trillion, or 22 percent of global GDP.

The Future of Jobs Report 2025 highlights that demand for technology-driven roles is skyrocketing, with positions in artificial intelligence, big data, fintech, and machine learning leading the surge. But it's not just tech companies: digitalization is transforming traditional industries too. In Indonesia, the APINDO Economic Roadmap 2025-2029 shows manufacturing, retail, tourism, and the creative economy are all generating new digital jobs.

ASEAN's digital economy is poised for explosive growth. It is projected to grow from $300 billion in 2022 to $1 trillion by 2030. The ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), expected in 2026, could push that figure to $2 trillion. By harmonizing digital rules and strengthening infrastructure, DEFA would connect markets, lower transaction costs and strengthen regional supply chains.

Within this regional surge, Indonesia is leading the charge. With nearly 80 percent internet penetration, Indonesia is also one of the most digitally connected societies in the region. As of February 2025, the country had around 143 million active social media users, the largest in Southeast Asia and third in the Asia-Pacific after China and India. Indonesia has also become a major hub in Southeast Asia's digital economy. The AI boom is also pushing data center demand sky-high. With ample land, competitive electricity prices and massive digital demand, Indonesia is a prime investment hub, turning data centers into strategic infrastructure and a gateway for innovative capital market engagement.

The digital economies of China and ASEAN are becoming increasingly intertwined. Over the past three decades, both have steadily deepened their partnership, complementing each other: ASEAN brings dynamic markets, a young talent pool, and regional manufacturing capabilities, while China provides advanced digital infrastructure, technological expertise, and a vast pool of digital talent, making collaboration in digital sectors a natural and strategic path.

This partnership, strengthened under China's Digital Silk Road, has produced tangible outcomes across ASEAN. Cross-border e-commerce platforms and RMB-based payment systems are increasingly accessible, while investments in data centers and submarine cable projects, including the SEA-H2X network, enhance regional connectivity. Smart city initiatives, 5G Innovation Centers, and AI industrial parks in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore are driving industrial digitalization. Talent programs such as Huawei's ICT talent ecosystem, Thailand's 5G Innovation Center training hundreds of technology professionals annually, and the China-ASEAN digital talent cultivation cooperation, are helping meet the region's growing demand for skilled professionals.

In Indonesia, Chinese digital investments are transforming the technological landscape. Chinese digital devices and locally tailored mobile apps are widely adopted, fiber-optic networks and 5G towers are expanding across the archipelago, and cloud infrastructure is rapidly growing with new data centers planned to support AI, logistics and digital services. Combined with a young, digitally engaged population and government support, Indonesia offers Chinese investors a strategic gateway to scale digital solutions, capture rising online consumption, and shape the country's fast-growing digital economy.

Ultimately, the promise of ASEAN-China digital cooperation lies in its ability to create jobs for the region's young people. At the 28th ASEAN-China leader's meeting, leaders from ASEAN member states and China recognized that the world is undergoing rapid digital transformation and affirmed the importance of building an open, secure, inclusive and interoperable digital ecosystem to accelerate the development of the digital economy, digital society, and digital government. ASEAN remains open and ready for productive investment and partnerships that can unlock these opportunities and deliver not only economic growth, but growth that creates the next generation of jobs.

The author is the chairman of Indonesian Employers' Association.

The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

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