ACC Held the 2021 Joint Executive Board Meeting

On 3 November 2021, the 2021 Joint Executive Board (JEB) Meeting of the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) was held at the ACC Secretariat. The meeting was co-chaired by Mr. Pehin Dato Rahmani, Ambassador of Brunei to China, on behalf of the rotating chair of ASEAN, and Ms. Dong Shuhui, Counsellor of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China. Attendees included Mr. Djauhari Oratmangun, Ambassador of Indonesia to China, Mrs. Khamphao Ernthavanh, Ambassador of Lao PDR to China, Mr. Raja Nushirwan, Ambassador of Malaysia to China, and other diplomats from embassies of all ASEAN Member States (AMS) in China, representatives of JEB China Council members such as Chinese Ministry of Education, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), and officials of the ACC Secretariat.

The JEB members highly commended ACC’s efforts and achievements in promoting friendly exchanges and practical cooperation in trade, investment, education, culture, tourism, information and media to echo the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue relations and the theme of ASEAN-China Year of Sustainable Development Cooperation. In particular, ACC was acclaimed for its success in carrying out various activities through innovative ways amid the pandemic. The year 2021 marks the 10th anniversary of ACC. In the past decade, ACC has played an important part in promoting ASEAN-China relations and achieved remarkable results. All members looked forward to seeing ACC continue its role as a one-stop information and activities centre, implement important consensus reached by the leaders of the two sides, especially the outcomes of the 24th ASEAN-China Summit and the upcoming special summit to commemorate the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue relations, and refine the work programme 2022 under the annual theme of sustainable development cooperation, so as to make new contributions to the ASEAN-China comprehensive strategic partnership.

ACC Secretary-General Chen Dehai expressed his appreciation to the JEB members for their long-standing support and their comments and suggestions on ACC Secretariat’s work and his heartfelt gratitude to all stakeholders from ASEAN and China for their support to ACC’s establishment and development over the past ten years. He said in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, ACC has joined hands with all partners to expand and deepen ASEAN-China exchanges and cooperation in various fields. Activities celebrating the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-China relations and flagship projects have been well carried out, such as the Lecture Series on ASEAN-China Relations by AMS Ambassadors to China, ASEAN-China SME Conference for Cooperation and Development, Symposium on ASEAN-China Public Health Cooperation and China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week. ACC continued to strengthen sustainable development cooperation and create highlights in areas such as digital economy cooperation, contributing to regional pandemic prevention and economic recovery. Standing at a new starting point for ASEAN-China relations and its own development, ACC is ready to work closely with all JEB members to fulfil various tasks as planned, further deepen ASEAN-China friendly exchanges and practical cooperation, and take ASEAN-China relations to a new high.

The JEB members listened to the work report of ACC since the 2020 Joint Council Meeting, and deliberated on ACC’s Draft Annual Report 2021, Draft Work Programme 2022, Draft Proposed Budget 2022 and other related issues. The above-mentioned documents will be submitted to the 2021 Joint Council Meeting of ACC for further consideration and approval.