Mr. Ma Mingqiang
Secretary-General of the ASEAN-China Centre
In 1991, ASEAN and China became dialogue partners and ushered in a new era in their relations. Over the past 21 years, ASEAN-China friendly relationship of cooperation has gone through an extraordinary journey, from the dialogue partners to mutual trust and finally to the strategic partnership. Today, ASEAN and China have become an integrated community with a common destiny, sharing weal and woe.
ASEAN-China Centre was officially lunched in November 2011 at the 14th ASEAN-China Leaders’ Meeting. As the only inter-government international organization between ASEAN Member States and China, it came into being naturally as the result of the fast growing interaction and cooperation between ASEAN and China and answers to the call of the future development of their bilateral relations.
To promote cultural exchange and cooperation and mutual understanding, ACC organized a ‘Familiarization Tour of China’s Ethnic Culture’ for the ASEAN diplomats, and ‘My ASEAN & China Multimedia Art Exhibition Series: Malaysia’. ACC initiated the ASEAN Ambassadors’ Lectures in Beijing Foreign Studies University. ACC worked very hard to raise the profile of ASEAN in China through Chinese National Televisions, internet, radio, magazines and newspapers. ACC official website has more than 60,000 visitors, and its official blog has more than 260,000 followers. ‘Amazing ASEAN online photo competition’ and “Touring ASEAN with Diplomats’ on ACC official blog attracted millions of participants. Next month, we will launch the ‘ASEAN culture night series’. As supporting agency, ACC will participate in the ASEAN-China Culture Forum co-hosted by China’s Ministry of Culture and the local Government of Guangxi province. ACC will soon organize CCTV crews to film in ASEAN Countries.