ACC Secretary-General Attended the Opening Activities of the 5th Nanyang Cultural Festival

On 22 April 2016, the 5th Nanyang Cultural Festival was held in Xiamen Fujian province. Mr. Pei Jinjia, Mayor of Xiamen Municipal People’s Government, Mr. Sun Guoxiang, Special Envoy for Asian Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, Mr. Chamroen Tipayapongtada, Governor of Phuket Province of Thailand, Mr. Srey Suon, Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts of Cambodia, H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre, H.E. Mme. Magdalene Teo, Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam to China, H.E. Mr. Thit Linn Ohn, Ambassador of Myanmar to China, Consul-Generals of ASEAN countries in Xiamen and Guangzhou, representatives from the Foreign Affairs Office of Fujian Provincial People’s Government, Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Xiamen Municipal People’s Government, officials from the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Tourism of ASEAN Member States, and delegates from friendship association and overseas Chinese organizations attended the opening ceremony.

Mayor Pei Jinjia met with the official guests and said that, Xiamen was a famous hometown of overseas Chinese, an ancient and important trade port of China, and a gateway for friendly exchanges between China and Southeast Asia. In recent years, the cooperation between Xiamen and ASEAN countries had increased significantly and provided greater opportunities. The 13th Five Year Plan of China put Xiamen as one of China's four major international shipping centres and the Maritime Silk Road gateway city. With its geographical advantages, Xiamen would develop the Free Trade Zone and utilize the Nanyang Culture Festival as a platform to further strengthen the all-round cooperation with ASEAN in the fields of economy, trade, finance, ports, aviation, and tourism.

Mr. Julius Flores, Consul-General of the Philippines in Xiamen said that ASEAN was one of the world's fastest developing regions. The ASEAN Community had been fully realized and that ASEAN-China cooperation would have greater potential and brighter prospects. Cultural exchange had brought about mutual trust and friendship. The Nanyang Culture Festival of this year, themed on common heritage and shared future as usual, presented not only traditional welcoming performances and Food Festival, but also added new elements as the Film Show and Enterprises Matchmaking. This concept kept the vitality and variety of the Festival, as well as greater public appeal. This year's Nanyang Festival had added new contents and injected fresh impetus into Xiamen-ASEAN cooperation. 

Mr. Sun Guoxiang, Special Envoy for Asian Affairs of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, declared the opening of the 5th Nanyang Cultural Festival. Guests of the Festival were entertained by the authentic Southeast Asian cultural performances from both China and ASEAN.