ACC Secretary-General Met with Director-General of ASEAN Department of Foreign Ministry of Thailand

On 31 August 2016,  ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) Secretary-General H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping met with Mr. Jakkrit Srivali, Director-General of the ASEAN Department of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand in Bangkok. Ms. Yang Yang, counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Thailand attended the meeting.

Secretary-General Yang thanked the Thai Foreign Ministry for its strong support to ACC over the years, and appreciated Thailand for its important contribution to develop ASEAN-China relations when Thailand assumed the country coordinator of ASEAN-China relations. She said that this year marked the 25th anniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue relations and Year of Educational Exchange. ASEAN-China relations had developed by leaps and bounds, and cooperation in wide-ranging areas achieved fruitful outcomes, which not only brought about tangible benefits to the 2 billion people in the region, but also contributed significantly to peace, stability and prosperity in the region and world at large. ASEAN and China were making great efforts to implement the 2+7 Cooperation Framework and joining hands to building a community of common destiny. With the joint efforts of both sides, ASEAN-China cooperation would bear more fruition and ASEAN-China relations would be elevated to a higher level.

Secretary-General Yang briefed on ACC’s mandate and efforts to enhance cooperation in trade, investment, education, culture, tourism, information and public relations. ACC was undertaking 19 flagship projects in 2016, and organized a series of activities such as ASEAN-China Week, Summer Camp, Gala Performance, Youth Football Match and ASEAN-China Day Fair to commemorate the 25th anniversary. ACC was formulating work programme 2017 and stood ready to join hands with the Thai Foreign Ministry to strive for greater progress of ASEAN-China relations. She welcomed the Thai side to continue to make suggestions to and actively participate in ACC’s work and activities.

Director-General Jakkrit extended a warm welcome to Secretary-General Yang for visiting Thailand. He said Thailand and China enjoyed close and friendly ties, and Thailand attached great importance to ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership. ASEAN thanked China for supporting ASEAN Community building and ASEAN Vision 2025 and ASEAN’s centrality in regional cooperation. He congratulated ACC for its achievements over the past nearly 5 years, and highly appreciated ACC’s efforts to promote functional cooperation and people-to-people connectivity. The Foreign Ministry of Thailand would, as always,  support ACC’s work, and hoped ACC to make greater contribution to deepen ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership.