On 3 November 2016, ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) hosted a reception marking its 5th anniversary in Beijing. H.E. Mr. Sun Guoxiang, special envoy of Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, H.E. Mme. Vandy Bouthasavong, Ambassador of the Lao PDR, the rotating chair of ASEAN, Ambassadors of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia and Singapore to China, Chargé d'Affaires of the Philippine Embassy, representatives from Embassies of Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam, other diplomatic envoys，representatives from international organizations including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Mr. Zheng Xiaosong, Vice Minister of the International Liaison Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Mr. Jonathan Koon-shum Choi, Deputy Director of the Committee for Education, Science, Culture, Health and Sports of the National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Chairman of SUNWAH Group, Mr. Ge Zhirong, Counsellor of the State Council, Mr. Lu Shumin, Vice President of Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Hu Zhengyue, Vice President of China Public Diplomacy Association, and about 400 distinguished guests including representatives of relevant Chinese ministries, China's former envoys to ASEAN countries, business circle, academic institutions, and media attended the reception.
Mr. Sun Guoxiang read out the congratulatory message from H.E. Mr. Wang Yi, Foreign Minister of China. Mr. Wang Yi congratulated ACC on its achievements over the past five years. He mentioned that ACC has started from scratch and become a special bond and important platform for promoting friendly exchanges and practical cooperation between China and ASEAN, making positive contribution to China-ASEAN relations. He cited this year marks the 25th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relations and China-ASEAN Year of Educational Exchange. Over the past 25 years, the two sides have rendered respect, understanding, trust and support to each other. China-ASEAN cooperation has yielded fruitful results, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples, and setting a good example for countries, regardless of differences, to treat each other equally as well as to seek common development. After 25 years of careful nurturing, it is now the right time for China-ASEAN relations to grow further and move toward an even brighter future. Year 2017 will mark the 50th anniversary of ASEAN. It will be another important milestone in its history. China and ASEAN face the common task of promoting economic growth and improving people’s well-being and shoulder the historic mission of upholding regional peace, stability and prosperity. China has taken ASEAN as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy and will continue to provide firm support to ASEAN Community building and ASEAN’s centrality in regional cooperation. Thus, the two sides should seize the rare historical opportunities, cement consensus for cooperation and synergize development strategies so as to enhance the China-ASEAN strategic partnership to a new high and sustain development and prosperity of the region. Mr. Wang Yi expected the Centre to continue its hard work and make full use of its own strengths to promote practical cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between the two sides, and help move forward China-ASEAN relationship.
Ambassador Vandy, in her remarks, highly valued the important role of ACC in promoting ASEAN-China relations under the leadership of Secretary-General Yang Xiuping. She said ACC, serving as a bridge and platform, has been actively played a crucial role in promoting and facilitating functional cooperation between ASEAN and China in the field of trade, investment, education, culture, tourism and information and public relations, and has been widely welcomed and recognized by relevant institutions of ASEAN and China. She said with the joint efforts of both sides, the relations and cooperation between ASEAN and China have been developed and expanded into all areas. ASEAN-China relations have become the most active and the strongest among all the relations between ASEAN and its dialogue partners. 2017 will be the 50th anniversary of ASEAN, as well as the Year of ASEAN-China Tourism Cooperation. She firmly believed that ACC would continue to promote exchanges and cooperation between ASEAN and China in relevant fields at every level, bringing tangible benefits to the people of both sides, thus contributing to the social and economic development of the region. ASEAN Embassies in Beijing would continue to work with and support ACC.
ACC Secretary-General Yang Xiuping extended her heartfelt thanks to governments of ASEAN countries and China as well as friends from all walks of life who have cared, supported, and engaged in ACC’s development. She said ACC came into being as a result of the rapid development of ASEAN-China relations. It has worked actively to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of both sides. Over the past five years since its inception in 2011, ACC has completed more than 100 approved flagship projects, and organized as well as participated in more than 500 activities, fully harnessing its strength as a one-stop information and activities centre. She introduced the hard work of ACC to promote ASEAN-China relations and cooperation celebrating the 25th anniversary of the dialogue relations and the Year of ASEAN-China Educational Exchange. ACC will keep up the good work, further improve itself, and continue to work with all sectors of both sides to make new and even greater contribution to the friendship and cooperation between ASEAN countries and China.
Mr. Sun Guoxiang, diplomatic envoys and representatives of ASEAN Embassies in China joined Secretary-General Yang Xiuping to cut the cake for the 5th anniversary of ACC. The Art troupe from the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation performed at the reception. Guests held friendly exchanges with each other in a warm atmosphere. They all wished ASEAN-China relations stronger growth and ACC greater achievements.
Beihai Municipal People's Government, Guangxi, Yunnan People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, China-ASEAN Expo Secretariat, China-ASEAN Panorama, ASEAN-China Chinese Language and Culture Education Base etc., also sent congratulatory messages on the 5th anniversary of the establishment of ACC.
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