ACC Secretary-General’s Field Trip to Mohan Economic Development Zone

On 29 October 2016, H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) made a field trip to Mohan Economic Development Zone located in the border area of China and the Lao PDR. 

Mr. Ai Laxiang, Deputy Director of Mohan Economic Development Zone and Mr. Hu Wenchang, Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of Mohan briefed the delegation on the Mohan Economic Development Zone. Mohan is regarded as an important juncture under such cooperation frameworks as the China-ASEAN, Lancang-Mekong, and Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar Economic Corridor. It enjoys unique geographical and cultural advantages in strengthening cooperation and exchanges with ASEAN countries. The Mohan crossing, the second largest of its kind in Yunnan province and a major national land crossing linking China and the Lao PDR, takes up 70% of the total trade between China and the Lao PDR. Steady progress has been made in the building of the economic cooperation zone. The goal is to turn Mohan into a products distribution centre for Southeast Asia so as that it can play an even bigger role in deepening economic cooperation and personnel exchanges between China and the Lao PDR and ASEAN. It is hoped that Secretary-General Yang will recognize more about the important role of Mohan in cooperation between China and the Lao PDR and other ASEAN countries, and provide stronger support to Mohan in increasing cooperation with the Lao PDR as well as taking a more active part in China-ASEAN and Lancang-Mekong cooperation.

Secretary-General Yang outlined ACC’s mandate and its activities in promoting practical cooperation between China and ASEAN. She commended the efforts made by Mohan county, Xishuangbanna prefecture and Yunnan province at large to promote ASEAN-China cooperation. She cited that China and ASEAN countries are close neighbours connected by mountains and rivers, border trade and personnel exchange is an important part of the all-round cooperation between China and ASEAN. ACC has given active support to the border towns of Yunnan province in expanding cooperation with ASEAN. For example, in 2015, a productive reporting trip of Chinese journalists organized by ACC passed through Mohan crossing and continued along the 3A highway. Recently, ACC and the State Council Information Office jointly arranged for the trip of Chinese and ASEAN journalists to Ruili, a border town of China and Myanmar, to look at border trade and personnel exchange with a focus on the efforts made by Yunnan province for vocational training and personnel settlement for Myanmar  people living in the border area. ACC will stay in close touch with the competent departments of Yunnan province and support Mohan and other border towns in opening up wider and bringing more benefit to the local people.