The 3rd Beijing ASEAN Students’ Games 2016 Kicked Off

On 24 April 2016, sponsored and hosted by ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), organized by ASEAN Students Association, the 3rd Beijing ASEAN Students’ Games 2016 (BASG 2016) themed “United in Diversity through Sports” was kicked off at Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU) athletic ground. More than 600 participants attended the Opening Ceremony, including over 500 students athletes from ASEAN Member States studying in Beijing, namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam. H. E. Ambassador Mme. Khek Caimealy Sysoda of Cambodia to China, H. E. Ambassador Mme. Vandy Bouthasavong of Lao PDR to China, H. E. Ambassador Mr. Dato’Zainuddin Yahya of Malaysia to China, Mr. Vu Tien Dung, Charge d’affaires of Vietnamese Embassy in Beijing, Vice President Mr. Wang Luxin of BLCU, representatives from the Embassies of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore, and the media also attended the Opening Ceremony. Mr. Tri Purnajaya, Director of Education, Culture and Tourism Division, attended the event on behalf of ACC. 

The Chairman of the Organizing Committee, also a student of Myanmar, Win Paing thanked ACC for sponsoring BASG. He said this event had not only provided an opportunity of communication for ASEAN students, but also a chance to improve their organizing and coordinating abilities. He wished all the athletes could obey the principles of friendship, which was more important than competition, as well as the rules of competition.  

Director Tri Purnajaya expressed his heartfelt thanks for the participation of the guests of all the ASEAN Embassies in Beijing, the great support of BLCU, and the hard work of ASEAN Students Committee. In his remarks, he said ACC had hosted and sponsored Beijing ASEAN Students’ Games (BASG) since 2012 in effort to promote the mutual understanding and friendship among ASEAN students, and raise the awareness on the importance of ASEAN and ASEAN-China relations. ACC would continue to support this activity in the future. This year was the 25th anniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue relations, and the year of ASEAN-China Educational Exchange. ACC was committed to strengthening people-to-people connectivity with the support of all ASEAN Member States together with its partners, and would continue to implement the consensus reached by the Leaders of ASEAN and China, and contributed to the development of ASEAN-China relations.

H. E. Ambassador Mme. Vandy Bouthasavong of Lao PDR to China, representing ASEAN, in her remarks expressed appreciation to ACC for hosting this grand and significant event for ASEAN students. She wished the games would go smoothly and successfully.  

Vice President Wang Luxin said ACC and BLCU had co-established the ASEAN-China Language and Culture Centre, which was a platform and a home for ASEAN students. He wished ASEAN students could make full use of this platform to strengthen communication and friendship among students of ASEAN, as well as ASEAN and China.  

The guests and athletes were entertained by traditional performances by the students from Cambodia, Indonesia and Lao PDR.

BASG 2016 was held during the weekends from 24 April to 28 May 2016 in the compound and sports facilities in BLCU and Beijing Sport University (BSU). Almost 1000 ASEAN students will compete in 10 sports games, such as track and field, basketball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, table tennis, badminton, bowling, chess and snooker.