ACC Hosted the ASEAN-China Cultural Exchange Day & New Year’s Gala for Students in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region

On 17-18 December 2016, ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) hosted the ASEAN-China Cultural Exchange Day & New Year’s Gala for Students in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region at Tianjin University (TJU). The event, organized by TJU and Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU), was attended by Mr. Zhong Denghua, President of TJU, Ms. Kong Roatlomang, Director of Education, Culture, and Tourism Division (ECTD) of ACC, Mr. Sun Jianhua, Deputy Director of ECTD of ACC, Ms. Cho Cho Soe, Minister Counsellor of Myanmar Embassy, and other Embassy officials of all ASEAN Member States in Beijing, representatives from the Ministry of Education of China, the Municipal and Provincial Education Departments and universities of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, and 500 ASEAN and Chinese students from Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, as well as guests from Guangxi Arts University.

At the opening ceremony of the Gala on 17 December, Ms. Kong Roatlomang read out the remarks by H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ACC. It was mentioned that the New Year’s Gala had become one of ACC’s most popular activities among ASEAN students, as well as an important platform for strengthening connection between ASEAN and Chinese students. Youth are our future. All young students are encouraged to fulfill the historic missions to take the role as the inheritor and facilitator of ASEAN-China relations, and to carry forward ASEAN-China friendship from generation to generation.

Ms. Cho Cho Soe, on behalf of ASEAN Embassies, praised ACC for hosting such a meaningful event for ASEAN students, stressed the importance of cultural exchange between ASEAN and China, and hoped all the ASEAN students could utilize the platform to strengthen communication, foster friendship and deepen understanding. Prof. Zhong Denghua expressed gratitude to ACC for providing such an opportunity to TJU to organize this big event. TJU, with the longest history among all Chinese universities, would like to cooperate more closely with ASEAN universities and make more contributions to the development of ASEAN-China relations, following the existing model of ASEAN-China Network for Engineering and Technology Universities. 

During the Gala, students from ten ASEAN countries and China presented 16 brilliant performances including dances, acrobatics, instrumental playing, fashion shows and Chinese Kungfu showcasing traditional culture of each country.

It was the fifth year for ACC to host New Year’s Gala for ASEAN students since 2012 and the first time to extend the participation beyond Beijing. Besides the Gala, the two days’ programme in Tianjin also included cultural visits in Tianjin and martial arts performances for guests and ASEAN students.