On 24 March 2017, the ASEAN-China Governors/Mayors’ Dialogue: Deepening People-to-People Exchange, Advance the Belt and Road Initiative was held during the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2017. The Dialogue was co-hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and Hainan Provincial People’s Government. Ms. Lin Yi, Vice President of Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries moderated the Dialogue. H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ACC, together with H.E. Mr. Liu Cigui, Governor of Hainan province, Mr. Liu Jin, Director-General of China’s Ministry of Education, as well as Governors, Mayors and representatives from ASEAN-China local provinces and cities attended the Dialogue.
Mr. Liu Cigui, Governor of Hainan province remarked that, Hainan is geographically close to, culturally familiar with and has shared traditions with ASEAN countries and the people, therefore. maintained a close relationship. Last year, the first Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting was held in Sanya. The meeting marked a new chapter of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation. He hoped that the Dialogue can bring an opportunity to further enhance practical cooperation, and the initiatives and calls proposed by this meeting can be turned into concrete policies and projects, and therefore achieve tangible results.
Ms. Lin Yi said that as proposed by China during the 19th ASEAN-China Summit that with education and tourism being a priority of cooperation, we can make people-to-people ties a new pillar of ASEAN-China relations. Against this backdrop, this year’s Dialogue took “Deepening People-to-People Exchange” as its theme, which is an important step towards building the new pillar. It is expected the provinces and cities could make joint efforts in tapping cooperation potential, and make our contributions to the common development and prosperity of this region.
Ms. Liu Jin made three suggestions on enhancing ASEAN-China education cooperation: Firstly, to give full play to regional advantages and features, to further enrich patterns and upgrade ASEAN-China education cooperation. Secondly, to make full use of platforms such as Boao Forum, ASEAN-China Education Cooperation Week, learn from each other and promote education cooperation to a new height. Thirdly, to promote people-to-people exchange, share opportunities and jointly achieve educational, social and economic development and progress.
Secretary-General Yang remarked that 2017 marks the Year of ASEAN-China Tourism Cooperation, as well as International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development designated by the United Nations. ASEAN-China tourism cooperation enjoys broad prospects and will help promote the Belt and Road Initiative. She made four suggestions to strengthen ASEAN-China tourism cooperation. First, explore new models for tourism cooperation to lead the coordinated development of multiple areas. Second, enhance connectivity to provide more convenience for people-to-people exchanges. Third, improve tourism services to promote the sustainable and healthy development of tourism market. Fourth, highlight local features to foster distinct tourism attractions for different provinces and cities.
The speakers had an active discussion on sub-topics, which are “How to promote ASEAN-China Tourism Cooperation” and “How to promote ASEAN-China Education Cooperation”. The speakers introduced the resources, advantages and preferential policies of their place in tourism and education, and made constructive suggestions in enhancing cooperation in the above-mentioned two areas. They expressed the view that people-to-people exchanges are the foundation of friendship among countries. We should develop new models, explore more contents of cooperation, to push tourism and education cooperation to a new level. They wish the friendship and cooperation between ASEAN and China will keep deepening and bring benefits to the people of both sides.
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