Brainstorming Session for the Mid-term Review of ACC Convened at ACC Secretariat

On 5 May 2015, the Brainstorming Session for the Mid-term Review of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) was successfully held at the ACC Secretariat in Beijing. The Brainstorming Session was co-chaired by H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Ambassador of China to ASEAN, and H.E. Ms. Astanah Banu Binti Shri Abdul Aziz, Deputy Director-General of the Department of ASEAN Economic Community of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia, as the current ASEAN chairmanship in 2015. Members of the Joint Council (JC) of ACC participated in the meeting.

The purpose of the Brainstorming Session was to conduct the mid-term review of ACC’s work since its inception in 2011 in response to the decision made at the 4th JC Meeting of ACC in December 2014, and seek guidance and solid suggestions from the JC on how to further improve ACC’s work, and in particular to better align ACC’s work with major initiatives raised and important consensus reached by the leaders of ASEAN and China, against the backdrop of current development of ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership.

The JC reviewed relevant documents drafted by the ACC Secretariat. Mr. Li Yuan, Director of Trade and Investment Division (TID), Mr. Tri Purnajaya, Director of Education, Culture and Tourism Division (ECTD), Ms. Lada Phumas, Director of Information and Public Relations Division (IPRD), and Ms. Huang Ying, Director of General Affairs and Coordination Division (GACD), briefed on the review of the work of each respective division, and responded to the inquiries posed by the JC members during the discussion. 

The JC members congratulated ACC for its great job and remarkable achievements in enhancing ASEAN-China functional cooperation, and proposed to further align ACC’s work with major initiatives and consensus set forth by the leaders of ASEAN and China, including enhancing ASEAN-China connectivity, jointly building the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, upgrading ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (CAFTA), and supporting ASEAN Community building, etc.. It was expected that ACC would constantly make pioneering and innovative efforts, improve institutional building and elevate its work to a higher level.

Acting Secretary-General Huang Ying thanked the JC members for their guidance and valuable suggestions, and promised to incorporate the suggestions to and further improve relevant documents, with a view to charting the future course for the development of ACC.