The Global Coalition of Efficient Logistics Leadership Delegation Visited ACC

On 6 May 2014, the Global Coalition of Efficient Logistics (GCEL) Leadership Delegation, headed by Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, Chairman of GCEL Asia Advisory Board and former ASEAN Secretary-General, visited ASEAN-China Centre (ACC).

ACC Secretary-General Ma Mingqiang extended a warm welcome to the delegation, and expressed gratitude to Dr. Surin for his support to ACC during his tenure as Secretary-General of ASEAN Secretariat. Secretary-General Ma briefed on the development of ACC and the core projects undertaken to facilitate ASEAN-China cooperation in trade, investment, education, culture and tourism. He elaborated that for over 2 years, ACC has grown full-fledged and carried out more than 100 projects annually in priority areas of trade, investment, education, culture, tourism, information and public relations, making good impacts to enhance ASEAN-China cooperation. Secretary-General Ma expressed appreciation to ASEAN Member States including Indonesia, Laos and Thailand to second capable officials to work at ACC, making ACC a genuine intergovernmental organization.

Dr. Surin Pitsuwan said he was very much impressed by the extraordinary work of ACC in promoting friendship and cooperation between ASEAN and China, and wished ACC to make more achievements in years to come.

Dr. Surin Pitsuwan and his delegation introduced the ideas and goals of GCEL, which is a Switzerland based public-private partnership, aiming to provide the tools and the roadmap to empower the digital economy towards achieving sustained global economic growth. The delegation highlighted the importance of efficient logistics to reduce trade cost, increase trade in goods and services, enhance flow of trade finance to SMEs, and create more job opportunities, etc. GCEL is, therefore, dedicated to develop the HumaWealth Program and seeking cooperative partners to promote trade efficiency through the efficient digital economy platform.

The visit to ACC was one in the series of visit, arranged by GCEL, to meet with its respective counterparts and potential partners in Beijing.