Remarks by Secretary-General Ma Mingqiang at the Reception Celebrating the 2nd Anniversary of the Establishment of ASEAN-China Centre

Your Excellency Mr. Liu Zhenmin, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China,

Your Excellency Mme. Magdalene Teo, Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam, the rotating ASEAN Chair of 2013,

Your Excellency Mr. Arthayudh Srisamoot, Director-General of the Department of ASEAN Affairs of Foreign Ministry of Thailand, Country Coordinator for ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations, 

Excellencies, 

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good evening. First and foremost, on behalf of all the colleagues of ASEAN-China Centre Secretariat, I would like to warmly welcome all of you to the reception celebrating the 2nd Anniversary of the Establishment of ASEAN-China Centre. As new year is approaching, I would also like to wish you a happy and prosperous new year! 

The year 2013 is a historic milestone in the development of ASEAN-China relations, as it marks the 10th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership. Within these 10 years, ASEAN-China relations have grown into a lush tree and borne rich fruits. 

The year 2013 also witnesses the growing of ASEAN-China Centre. Several high-level ASEAN delegations visited ASEAN-China Centre, including Deputy Prime Minister of Viet Nam, Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand and ASEAN Secretary-General. H.E. Mr. Wang Yi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, paid a visit to ACC on 25 June 2013. These visits demonstrate the great importance and full support the Governments of China and ASEAN Member States attach and render to ACC. 

Under the leadership of the Joint Executive Board and the Joint Council, ASEAN-China Centre has been working hard to promote trust, understanding, friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation between ASEAN and China, and fulfills its role as a one-stop Information Centre and Activities Centre. Projects and activities undertaken by ACC to facilitate trade, investment, tourism, educational and cultural, as well as information and media exchanges, progress smoothly. 

We are pleased to see that ASEAN-China Products Trade Centre in Yiwu, Zhejiang Province, is established, providing a new platform for trade cooperation between ASEAN and China, with enterprises from 9 ASEAN Member States setting up booths there.   

ASEAN Investment Consortium also makes substantial progress in increasing Chinese investment to ASEAN. With the assistance of ASEAN-China Centre, many Chinese enterprises have made investments in ASEAN.

Student mobility promotion activities have achieved tangible results. More than 100 vocational education institutes from ASEAN Member States and China establish network of cooperation, and signed more than 50 cooperation agreements.

The documentaries on "Discovery ASEAN" and "Taste ASEAN" co-produced by ACC and CCTV have been shot in 5 ASEAN Member States, which will be broadcast on China Central Television from the very beginning of next year.  

ASEAN Culture Nights, My ASEAN and China Multi-media Art Exhibitions and ASEAN Ambassadors Lecture Series have inspired more and more Chinese people to get to know and appreciate more of ASEAN cultures. 

AEAN-China Language and Culture Centre, another tangible outcome of ACC's efforts, is going to be launched at Beijing Language and Culture University tomorrow, which will serve as a new bridge to promote cultural and people-to-people exchanges between ASEAN and China.  

The smooth and successful operation of ASEAN-China Centre is attributed to the strong support of the Governments of ASEAN Member States and China, to the full cooperation of ASEAN embassies in China, Chinese embassies in ASEAN Member States and China's Mission to ASEAN, as well as to the care and support of our friends present here today. I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation for your generous support during the past years. I also wish all ACC's friends could continue to render their valuable support for a stronger and more matured ACC in the year to come. 

At the 16th ASEAN-China Summit held on 9 October 2013, ASEAN and Chinese leaders have placed higher expectations on ASEAN-China Centre. ASEAN-China Centre will make more efforts to live up to the expectations of the leaders, and to provide high-quality service to enhance ASEAN-China friendly exchanges and cooperation, so as to make new contribution to the further development of ASEAN-China strategic partnership.

Last and not the least, I would like to propose a toast: 

To the brighter future of ASEAN-China relations,

And to good health of all friends and your families.

Cheers!