ACC Secretary-General Met with Chairman of National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) of the Philippines

On 7 December 2015, H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), met with Chairman of National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) of Philippines H.E. Prof. Felipe M. De Leon Jr.. Head of the International Affairs Office of NCCA Ms. Annie Luis,  Minister of the Philippines Embassy to China Mr. Ivan Frank Olea and Director of Education, Culture and Tourism Division (ECTD) of ACC Mr. Tri Purnajaya also attended the meeting.

Secretary-General Yang said 2014 was designated as ASEAN-China Cultural Exchange Year, whereby series of colorful activities were held to enhance friendship and understanding between ASEAN and China. 2016 would be the 25th anniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue relations. As the only inter-governmental organization between ASEAN and China, ACC was committed to further implementing the consensus reached by the leaders of the two sides, strengthening cooperation with NCCA and to jointly upgrading ASEAN-China cultural exchange to a new level.

Chairman Leon said friendship between the Philippines and China had a long history of cultural and trade exchanges which could be traced back to the Chinese Tang and Song Dynasties with many beautiful legends handed down to the present. NCCA attached great importance to cooperate with China, and was willing to collaborate closely with ACC to explore new cooperation model, making full use of culture and art as soft power, to lay a more solid foundation of public opinion for ASEAN-China relations.