ASEAN Media Delegation of the "Reporting Trip" Visited ACC

On 25 June 2015, ASEAN media delegation, which was visiting China to join the "Reporting Trip" under the theme of the "21st Century Maritime Silk Road", co-hosted by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) of China and ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) from 23 June to 2 July 2015, visited ACC.

H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, ACC Secretary-General, met with and extended a warm welcome to the delegates. Secretary-General Yang expressed that “One Belt One Road” was an important initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013. The delegation would have a chance to visit Beijing, Fujian and Guangdong Provinces. Beijing is the capital of China. Fujian is an important starting point of the ancient Maritime Silk Road, and has been designated by the Chinese government to be the core area of building the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Guangdong is the forefront of China’s opening up to the world. It was believed that through this trip, the ASEAN journalists would have a better understanding about China’s development. Secretary-General Yang expected that ASEAN media would make an objective and factual reporting about the trip, allowing more ASEAN people to understand China, ASEAN-China relations and the benefits of the “One Belt One Road” initiative.

Secretary-General Yang also briefed on the mandate of ACC, expressing that, as the only inter-governmental organization between ASEAN and China, ACC would exert all its efforts, and remained committed to be the facilitator of good-neighborliness and mutual trust, promoter of functional cooperation, and messenger of friendship between both sides. She further elaborated on the development of ASEAN-China relations whereby 2014 was designated as ASEAN-China Cultural Exchange Year and China proposed 2016 to be the Education Exchange Year between both sides.

The ASEAN journalists had an interactive discussion with Secretary-General Yang and Directors and Deputy Directors of ACC. Issues of interest included, inter alia, ACC’s efforts to promote trade, investment, education, culture and tourism cooperation between ASEAN and China, ACC’s role in building the “One Belt One Road”, and the benefits of “One Belt One Road” to ASEAN countries. ASEAN media also proposed some valuable suggestions on how to further enhance ASEAN-China media exchange and cooperation.

Ms. Lada Phumas, Director of Information and Public Relations Division (IPRD) of ACC, acted as the moderator of the meeting. She also highlighted on ACC’s efforts in cooperating with the media and the significance of this “Reporting Trip”.   

Ms. Zhao Jun, Vice Editor-in-Chief of China Report, and Mr. Huang Yulong, Assistant President of China Report, were present at the meeting.