ASEAN-China Centre Hosted Reception Celebrating the 2nd Anniversary of the Establishment of ACC

On 17 December 2013, ASEAN-China Centre hosted a reception celebrating the 2nd anniversary of its establishment at Four Seasons Hotel in Beijing. Mr. Liu Zhenmin, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Mme. Magdalene Teo, Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam as the rotating ASEAN Chair of 2013, and Director-General Mr. Arthayudh Srisamoot of the Department of ASEAN Affairs of Foreign Ministry of Thailand as the representative of Country Coordinator for ASEAN-China dialogue relations, attended the function.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin commended and congratulated ACC for its remarkable achievements over the past two years to promote cooperation between China and ASEAN in trade, investment, education, culture, tourism and other areas. This year marks the 10th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership. The new leadership of China places great value on growing relations with ASEAN. As an inter-governmental organization between China and ASEAN, it is important that ACC performs its function in accordance with the consensus reached by the leaders from both sides, leverages its own advantages and makes pioneering and innovative efforts to advance practical cooperation, facilitate people-to-people friendship and exchanges and enhance mutual understanding and trust, thus playing an even bigger role in upgrading the China-ASEAN strategic partnership across the board. As the host country, China will actively support the Center in its work and also hopes that the Center will make even greater efforts to this end.

Ambassador Magdalene Teo highly appraised ACC’s fruitful achievement and vital role in organizing a great number of important promotional trade and investment related activities, as well as to enhance public awareness of ASEAN through various cultural, educational and public relations exchanges. She believes that ACC will continue to play a more important role in promoting ASEAN-China relations.

ACC Secretary-General Ma Mingqiang expressed that the year 2013 witnesses the growing of ACC, which has been working hard to promote trust, understanding, friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation between ASEAN and China. Projects and activities undertaken by ACC have been progressed smoothly, including such highlights as the ASEAN-China Products Trade Centre in Yiwu, the ASEAN-China Language and Culture Centre, TV documentaries of "Discovery ASEAN" and "Taste ASEAN" in 5 ASEAN Member States, the ASEAN Culture Nights, “My ASEAN and China” Multi-media Art Exhibitions and ASEAN Ambassadors Lecture Series, which are very well received. It is highlighted that ACC remains to be both an information and functional cooperation Centre, serving peoples from China and ASEAN.

Secretary-General Ma Mingqiang expressed his gratitude to the governments of the 11 ACC members, ASEAN Embassies in Beijing and all walks of society for their care and support to ACC. He assured that ACC will continue its efforts to live up to the expectations of the leaders of ASEAN and China, and provide high-quality service to enhance ASEAN-China friendly exchanges, connectivity and cooperation, so as to make new contribution to the further development of ASEAN-China strategic partnership.

Over 500 distinguished guests including the representatives of various Chinese Ministries, Ambassadors and/or representatives of ASEAN Member States to China and personage of commerce and business, academy, media and friends of ACC attended the reception.