Sponsored by ASEAN-China Centre, the second Beijing ASEAN Students’ Games (BASG 2014) kicked off on the morning of April 19, 2014 at Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU). More than 500 student athletes from ASEAN countries namely Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam attended the opening ceremony. Among the attendees of the Opening Ceremony were Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre, Ambassador of the Embassy of Viet Nam, President of BLCU, Deputy Ambassador of Indonesian Embassy and a number of other officials from ASEAN embassies in Beijing.
The Chairman of the Organizing Committee, also a student from Indonesia, Nico Andrean said the Games are aimed at strengthening friendship among ASEAN students in Beijing. He expressed his gratitude to the students of the organizing committee in preparing the BASG for the past two months, and his sincere thanks to all the distinguished guests for encouraging the students by attending the opening ceremony.
The Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre, Mr. Ma Mingqiang delivered a short message, and conveyed his utmost delight to see the exuberance and vigor of all the students. Mr. Ma said ASEAN-China Centre has been supporting activities for ASEAN students in China to help enhance friendship and foster ASEAN Identity among ASEAN students. Mr. Ma emphasized that the BASG is a meaningful event and 2014 is a special year, because it is the first year following the celebration of the 10th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership Relations. Moreover, 2014 has been announced by the leaders of ASEAN and China as the "ASEAN-China Cultural Exchange Year". The ASEAN Community will be established by the end of 2015, and the students will play important roles in the future, in building a better ASEAN Community and in promoting ASEAN-China good-neighborliness relations.
Mr. Nguyen Van Tho, the Ambassador from the Embassy of Viet Nam in Beijing, representing ASEAN, in his speech welcomed the opening of BASG, and was extremely delighted to see the crowd of ASEAN students interacting and competing with each other. The Ambassador is hopeful that the games will enhance the friendship among ASEAN students, hence, contribute to the relationship between China and ASEAN. Mr. Cui Xiliang, the President of BLCU wished the games successful and achieve its objectives. He said BLCU has always been supporting the activities of ASEAN students, and will make the most of the newly established ASEAN-China Language and Culture Centre to provide greater support for ASEAN students in the future. The athletes and guests were entertained by traditional performances show-cased by the students from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Viet Nam.
To mark the Opening the Beijing ASEAN Students' Games 2014, a torch was lit and carried along the running track by the athletes representing the participating countries.
The BASG 2014 slogan “Unity through Sports” symbolizes the shared expectations of all the ASEAN students participating in the games. It is hoped the Games could promote unity, solidarity, enhance friendship and ASEAN Identity among them.
The main sponsor of BASG 2014 is ASEAN-China Centre, and organized by students unions of ASEAN countries in Beijing, namely PERMIT (Indonesia), BVSA (Viet Nam), SSA BEIJING (Singapore), TSAB (Thailand), AMSIB (Malaysia), Myanmar Students Association, PCFC (the Philippines), and Laos Students Association in Beijing.