The 2024 ACC Joint Executive Board Meeting Held in Zhengzhou
On 20 November, the 2024 Joint Executive Board (JEB) Meeting of the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) was held in Zhengzhou of Henan Province, co-chaired by Ambassador Yu Hong of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of China, and Ambassador Somphone Sichaleune of the Lao PDR to China, on behalf of the rotating chair of ASEAN.
Ambassador Pehin Dato Rahmani of Brunei Darussalam to China, Ambassador U Tin Maung Swe of Myanmar to China, Ambassador Jaime FlorCruz of the Philippines to China, Ambassador Peter Tan of Singapore to China, Ambassador Soeung Rathchavy of Cambodia to China, Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) Parulian Silalahi of the Indonesian Embassy, DCM Norfarina Mohd Azmee of the Malaysian Embassy, DCM Varapote Chensavasdijai of the Thai Embassy, Counselor Le Trung Kien of the Vietnamese Embassy, diplomats of AMS Embassies in China and representatives of JEB China Council members including Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Commerce, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the ACC officials attended the Meeting.
Secretary General Shi Zhongjun took stock of the major activities organized by the ACC in 2024. He highlighted that 2024 has been a milestone for ASEAN-China relations which is marked by remarkable progress in various areas of cooperation that continues to strengthen the ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The ACC has played a pivotal role in promoting and enhancing practical cooperation between ASEAN and China, particularly within the framework of the ASEAN-China Year of People-to-people Exchanges. The ACC has successfully implemented a wide range of programs and events, and also introduced new flagship initiatives in its priority areas, including trade, investment, education, culture, tourism and media. Looking ahead, the ACC remains steadfast in its mission to foster a closer ASEAN-China community with a shared future, and will continue to build on its successes to ensure that the ASEAN-China partnership remains vibrant and mutually beneficial.
The Co-Chairs and the other JEB members highly appreciated the tremendous efforts made by the ACC and the fruitful results achieved by the ACC in 2024 in promoting mutually beneficial ASEAN-China cooperation in all fields and deepening ASEAN-China people-to-people exchanges. They reaffirmed that the JEB members will continue to give their full support to the ACC’s endeavors in the coming year, and look forward to the ACC consistently playing its crucial role as a facilitating bridge between AMS and China. They encourage the ACC to tap into the potential of practical cooperation in emerging areas such as digital transformation, green transition and artificial intelligence, and initiate more meaningful flagship projects by making full use of the advantages and resources of the Chinese local governments and ASEAN countries. Such efforts would add more strength to the ASEAN-China Year of People-to-people Exchanges in 2025, and support important occasions in bilateral relations between China and individual AMS, thus making substantial contribution to the advancement of ASEAN-China relations, and greater well-being of the peoples in the region.
Before the JEB Meeting, Secretary General Shi Zhongjun was invited to join the photo session of the Meeting of the ASEAN Committee in Beijing (ACB) and handover ceremony of rotating chairmanship.