On 29 November 2019, ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) held a reception to celebrate its 8th anniversary of establishment in Beijing. Mr. Chen Xiaodong, Assistant Minister of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Du Zhanyuan, President of China International Publishing Group and Mr. Arthayudh Srisamoot, Ambassador of Thailand, the rotating Chair of ASEAN, attended the event together with diplomatic envoys of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Viet Nam, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Singapore and other countries, representatives of international organizations, officials from central, provincial and municipal governments of China, former Chinese envoys to ASEAN countries, and representatives from communities of business, culture, education, tourism, academics and media. Altogether, around 400 people were present.
Assistant Minister Chen Xiaodong commended the fruitful outcomes achieved in China-ASEAN relations. He said that ASEAN is a priority in China’s neighborhood diplomacy. ASEAN-China relations have entered a new stage of all-round development. Earlier this month, the ASEAN plus summits were successfully held in Thailand. Premier Li Keqiang and ASEAN leaders discussed ways to take forward the cooperation between the two sides and agreed on a number of important outcomes, lending new impetus to the upgrading of China-ASEAN relations. He expressed China’s readiness to work together with ASEAN under the guidance of the China-ASEAN Strategic Partnership Vision 2030, continue to enhance cooperation to deliver more benefits to the two peoples, and contribute even more to the development and prosperity of the region. Over the past eight years, the ACC has gone from strength to strength and played an important role in deepening mutual understanding, mutual trust and cooperation between China and ASEAN. He hoped that ACC, with its unique strengths, would continue to serve as an envoy for people-to-people friendship and a bridge and platform for amiable and win-win cooperation, and make greater contributions to the building of China-ASEAN Strategic Partnership at a higher level. As the host country, the Chinese government would continue to support ACC in carrying out its duties.
In delivering remarks on behalf of the ASEAN side, Ambassador Arthayudh Srisamoot applauded ACC’s active role as an important mechanism that helps promote the continuous development of the ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership. He said that in 2019, the implementation of 23 flagship projects and more than 100 activities were good example of constructive role of the ACC in its effort to raise awareness of ASEAN among the Chinese and vice versa through practical cooperation in wide areas and build closer ties and mutual understanding among ASEAN-China people. Assuming ASEAN’s chairmanship of this year, Thailand is dedicated to building a people-centred ASEAN Community that pursuits common development and looks to the future. The 22nd ASEAN-China Summit issued a number of outcome documents which would build a stronger foundation for promoting ASEAN-China relations. In addition, the designation of 2020 as the ASEAN-China Year of Digital Economy Cooperation would provide an opportunity for both sides to expand cooperation to achieve innovation-driven development. He would like to see ACC play a bigger role in promoting win-win cooperation between ASEAN and China. He said that Thailand and other ASEAN countries would continue to render their strong support to ACC.
ACC Secretary-General Chen Dehai thanked the Chinese and ASEAN government and all social sectors for their long-term support and assistance to ACC, and reviewed ACC’s accomplishment in celebrating the ASEAN-China Year of Media Exchanges and promoting ASEAN-China trade and economic and people-to-people exchanges and cooperation. He stated that the all-round development of ASEAN-China relations not only benefits the two billion people on both sides, but also serves as the cornerstone, driving force and guarantee for regional stability and prosperity. The 22nd ASEAN-China Summit yielded a series of fruitful results. The two sides issued a number of outcome documents on synergizing MPAC 2025 and the BRI, expanding media exchanges, advancing smart cities cooperation and so on. This had injected new impetus into building a higher-level ASEAN-China strategic partnership and a closer ASEAN-China community with a shared future. ASEAN-China relations are embracing an even brighter tomorrow. Looking to the future, ACC would closely follow the trend of ASEAN-China relations, work with all parties to make greater contributions to the development of ASEAN-China relations.
Assistant Minister Chen Xiaodong, Ambassador Arthayudh Srisamoot, Secretary-General Chen Dehai, President Du Zhanyuan and representatives from ASEAN countries cut together a cake marking the 8th anniversary of the establishment of ACC. At the reception, ACC micro promotional video was played. Students from Guangxi Arts University performed Chinese and Southeast Asian songs and dances, adding a festive atmosphere to the reception. All the guests expressed good wishes that ASEAN-China relations would continue to move toward a higher level and that ACC would score more achievements in its work in the coming year.
