Opening Ceremony of “ASEAN Youth, Run with Yiwu” Global Youth Business Programme Held in Yiwu

On 2 August 2021, the Opening Ceremony of the “ASEAN Youth, Run with Yiwu” Global Youth Business Programme (GYBP) was held in Yiwu. The event was jointly organized by the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), the Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government, the Chinese Mission to ASEAN and the China-ASEAN Association, and moderated by Mr. Wang Wei, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Yiwu Municipal Committee and Vice Mayor of Yiwu.

Mr. Wang Jian, Mayor of Yiwu, addressed that Yiwu, hailed by President Xi Jinping as the World Capital of Small Commodities, is an international land port linking the whole world and a favored place for entrepreneurship and innovation by young people around the globe. ASEAN is one of Yiwu’s largest trading partners. In recent years, the two sides have carried out closer cooperation in economic, trade and people-to-people exchanges. In 2020, the trade volume between Yiwu and ASEAN reached US$5.07 billion with US$4.74 billion  exported to ASEAN, accounting for 1.23 percent of China’s exports to the region. With the future implementation of the RCEP, it is believed that the cooperation between Yiwu and ASEAN will have broader prospects. Yiwu looks forward to deepening cooperation with ASEAN Member States (AMS) in import and cross-border e-commerce and connectivity. He sincerely invites AMS to visit, understand, and experience the unique charm of Yiwu.

Mr. Arthayudh Srisamoot, Ambassador of Thailand to China, expressed appreciation to the Yiwu Municipal Government and other organizers for hosting the event. He spoke highly of the fruitful cooperation achieved in various fields in the past 30 years since the establishment of dialogue relations between ASEAN and China, and emphasized that people-to-people exchanges represent an important aspect of friendly exchanges between the two sides. Most ASEAN students in China choose to major in language and culture, science and technology, economics, business and medicine. Thailand has the largest number of students studying in China among AMS. It is hoped that through the “ASEAN Youth, Run with Yiwu” GYBP, ASEAN young trainees will make greater achievements in the business sector and contribute more to the development of ASEAN-China relations.

Mr. Deng Xijun, Chinese Ambassador to ASEAN, spoke online that young people from ASEAN and China have made important contributions to the development of ASEAN-China relations. Bringing together the creativity of young people will certainly promote China-ASEAN cooperation to more fields and higher levels, and provide a powerful boost to build a community of shared future. 

Mr. Yuan Mindao, Secretary-General of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), during his online speech, spoke highly of the people-to-people friendship between ASEAN and China, regarding it as the solid foundation and driving force of ASEAN-China relations. The CPAFFC and the China-ASEAN Association have always been committed to promoting amity and mutual understanding between ASEAN and China and are willing to strengthen ties and enhance understanding with all parties, especially young ASEAN students in China, to jointly promote the innovative development of ASEAN-China people-to-people friendship.

Ms. Wang Hongliu, Director of the General Affairs and Coordination Division of ACC, stated that ASEAN and China are good neighbors, good friends, good partners and good relatives enjoying geographical proximity and cultural affinity. This year marks the 30th anniversary of dialogue relations between ASEAN and China. The two sides have accomplished fruitful results in practical cooperation across the board. Since 2020, ASEAN and China have joined hands to battle COVID-19 and have become each other’s largest trading partner, which demonstrates the strong vitality and huge potential of ASEAN-China relations. ASEAN is Yiwu’s longstanding friend and largest trading partner. The cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative between the two sides also witnessed remarkable progress. ACC will continue to harness its role as a one-stop information and activities centre, and further promote friendly exchanges and cooperation between ASEAN and China in various fields. The “ASEAN Youth, Run with Yiwu” GYBP has received positive response from AMS embassies in China and ASEAN youth. She wished a big success to the event  and hoped that it would further promote friendship and cooperation between the two sides.

Mr. Yu Yiping, Second-level Inspector of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government, and Dr. Muhammad Firdaus Abdul Rahman, Chairman of the Brunei-China Friendship Association, also addressed the Opening Ceremony. 

Around 100 people, including government officials of Zhejiang province and Yiwu, diplomats of AMS embassies in China and students of “ASEAN Youth, Run with Yiwu” GYBP, attended the Opening Ceremony. More than 130 people joined the Programme online, including representatives of organizations and local youth entrepreneurs from AMS. GYBP consists of training on cross-border e-commerce, international trade and live streaming. So far 7 sessions have been held  under the Programme, with 236 participants from more than 60 countries. 

On the afternoon of 2 August, the delegation of AMS diplomats organized by ACC attended the Yiwu-ASEAN Meeting on Imports together with the Yiwu Municipal Government, ASEAN and Chinese enterprises in Yiwu and trainees from GYBP. The meeting was moderated by Mr. Wang Wei, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Yiwu Municipal Committee and Vice Mayor of Yiwu. Representatives of Yiwu Commerce Bureau, Yiwu Comprehensive Bonded Zone Operation and Management Company of the Zhejiang China Commodities City Group, and Zhejiang International Trading Supply Chain Service Co., Ltd., introduced the import policy of Yiwu and shared experience in imports and exports.

In Yiwu, the delegation also visited Yiwu International Trade Mart, Yiwu-Xinjiang-Europe Freight Train Station, Yiwu Urban Planning Exhibition Centre, Imported Commodities Trade Plaza, Exhibition of ASEAN Selected Goods in Yiwu, Beautiful Countryside and other venues, and participated in “ASEAN Web Celebrity Training Camp” with trainees of GYBP. Diplomats of AMS were deeply impressed by Yiwu’s openness, inclusive and innovative development, and said they would like to learn from Yiwu’s experience and encourage more ASEAN enterprises and young people to do business in Yiwu.