On 17 August 2015, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) delegation visited the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC). The delegation comprised 13 high-level officials in charge of SAARC affairs from 8 Member States of SAARC (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) and the SAARC Secretariat.
H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ACC extended her warm welcome to the delegation. She stated that this was SAARC delegation’s first visit to ACC, which served as a good opportunity for both sides to exchange views. She briefed the delegation on ACC’s mandates, organizational structure and its development, adding also that ACC, as the only inter-governmental organization co-established by the Governments of 10 ASEAN Member States and China, had always been committed to promoting ASEAN-China functional cooperation and achieved fruitful results.
Secretary-General Yang stated that ASEAN-China relations had entered a new era for a Diamond Decade. Next year would mark the 25th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations, and ASEAN and China cooperation would have greater potential and brighter prospects. She emphasized that ACC would continue its unremitting efforts to implement the important common consensus reached by the leaders from both sides and remain committed to be the facilitator of good-neighborliness and mutual trust, promoter of functional cooperation, and messenger of friendship between ASEAN and China. She expressed her willingness to strengthen the cooperation between ACC and SAARC, viewing that there would be a huge potential for cooperation since SAARC had been working on promoting cooperation in the areas of economic, social and cultural, science and technology among the Member States.
Director and Deputy Directors of each Division of ACC briefed the delegation on their respective Divisions’ duties and achievements and had an interactive discussion with the delegation.
Mr. Ramesh Prasad Khanal, Joint Secretary of Nepal Foreign Ministry and Head of the delegation, expressed his appreciation for ACC’s warm welcome and viewed the visit as a good opportunity to learn from each other. He also expressed his wishes to continue the exchanges and communication between SAARC and ACC.
After the discussion, the SAARC delegation, accompanied by Ms. Lada Phumas, Director of Information and Public Relations Division (IPRD) of ACC, toured the exhibition in the annex room of ACC ASEAN Hall, to learn more about ACC’s roles in ASEAN-China relations.