ASEAN-China Centre Hosted Reception Celebrating the 3rd Anniversary of the Establishment of ACC

In the evening of 22 December 2014, ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) hosted a reception celebrating the 3rd anniversary of its establishment at Four Seasons Hotel in Beijing. H.E. Mr. Zhang Ming, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, H.E. Mr. Min Lwin, Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar (rotating ASEAN Chair of 2014) to ASEAN, H.E. Madame Yang Xiuping, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to ASEAN, ASEAN Ambassadors and/or representatives to China, Joint Council (JC) and Joint Executive Board (JEB) members of ACC, and over 400 guests including representatives of relevant Chinese ministries, business circle, academy and media attended the reception.

H.E. Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Ming in his remarks congratulated ACC for its remarkable achievements over the past 3 years to promote ASEAN-China cooperation in trade, investment, education, culture, tourism and informationa & public relations. He expressed that the Chinese leaders set the strategic targets of building the ASEAN-China Community of Common Destiny and the Maritime Silk Road of the 21st century, which received positive responses from ASEAN. During the 17th ASEAN-China Summit in November, both sides put forward a number of cooperation initiatives. ASEAN-China cooperation would enjoy broader prospects and a better future. It was hoped ACC would give full play to its unique advantages and continue to serve as a facilitator for good neighborliness and mutual trust, a promoter for functional cooperation and a spreader for friendship between ASEAN and China. H.E. Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Ming pledged China’s commitment, as the host country of ACC, to continue to assist and support ACC.

H.E. Permanent Representative Min Lwin recalled in his speech the two significant occasions in ASEAN-China relations in 2014, which were (1) over 100 cultural events accomplished in ASEAN Member States and China to celebrate the 2014 ASEAN-China Cultural Exchange Year, and (2) the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on establishing the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). It was believed that the all-round cooperation between ASEAN and China would be further strengthened in the 2015 ASEAN-China Maritime Cooperation Year. H.E. Permanent Representative Min Lwin commended ACC for its hard work, dedication and active role in further enhancing the ASEAN-China strategic partnership, promoting ASEAN-China good-neighborliness, mutual trust and cooperation, and expected that ACC would achieve more remarkable progress in the coming years and play a much bigger role in upgrading the ASEAN-China strategic partnership.

ACC Secretary-General Ma Mingqiang expressed that bearing in mind the important consensus reached by the Leaders of ASEAN and China, ACC had faithfully fulfilled its mandates as a one-stop information and activities centre between ASEAN and China. In 2014 ACC carried out over 140 projects and activities to facilitate trade, investment, educational, cultural, tourism, as well as information and media cooperation between ASEAN and China. Major projects and activities undertaken by ACC were highlighted, including efforts to set up new ASEAN-China Products Trade Centres in other provinces in China following the successful establishment of ASEAN-China Products Trade Centre in Yiwu, Zhejiang Province; establishment of 3 new education platforms, namely, ASEAN-China Education Research Network, Alliance of ASEAN-China Technical Universities, and ASEAN-China Mechanism for Cooperation and Exchanges in Technology & Vocational Education and Training (TVET); organizing China’s national-level art troupes to stage 12 performances in ASEAN countries; shooting of TV series documentaries on "Discovery ASEAN" and "Taste ASEAN" in 5 ASEAN countries; organizing "ACC Cup - Understanding ASEAN-China Relations" Essay Contest. Secretary-General Ma Mingqiang expressed appreciation to the governments of ASEAN Member States and China and all walks of society for their strong support to ACC, and reaffirmed ACC’s dedication to the realization of the ASEAN Community, and building of ASEAN-China Community of Common Destiny and a stronger ASEAN-China strategic partnership.

The reception was filled with warm and friendly atmosphere. The guests spoke highly of ACC’s achievements and expressed good wishes to ACC for its future development.