On 16 October. 2016, the Opening Ceremony of 2016 ASEAN Plus Three Training Programme on Understanding China was held in Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU). Around 50 people including Dr. Yan Guohua, Vice President of BFSU, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thai Thong, Minister Counsellor of Viet Nam Embassy in Beijing, officials from ASEAN Embassies in Beijing, professors and scholars of BFSU, and 20 programme participants from ASEAN Member States, Japan and ROK participated. Ms. Kong Roatlomang, Director of Education, Culture and Tourism Division of ACC attended the Opening Ceremony and delivered remarks.
In her remarks, Ms. Kong Roatlomang briefed on the active role ACC had been playing in implementing the consensus reached by the leaders of ASEAN and China through promoting functional cooperation in five priority areas including education. She stated that the programme was particularly significant and meaningful since 2016 was a special year for ASEAN-China relations and Year of ASEAN-China Educational Exchange. ACC would be as supportive as possible to make the programme a great success, thus benefiting mutual development and prosperity of the region.
ASEAN Plus Three Training Programme on Understanding China was launched in 2010, sponsored by Chinese Government and organized by BFSU. It aims to promote better understanding of China among diplomats and government officials from ASEAN countries as well as Japan and ROK who are in charge of China-related issues. More than 100 young diplomats have successfully attended the programme in the past years. The 2016 Programme will last for three weeks, offering a comprehensive and compact training programme at BFSU, as well as scholar-led excursions to government institutions, high-tech enterprises, historical and cultural sites in Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou.