On 20 February 2017, H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of?ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), met with Ms. Cao Xiankun, Director-General of Hainan Education Department, and exchanged views with her on ASEAN-Hainan and ASEAN-China education exchanges and cooperation. Mr. Li Yuenan, Deputy Director-General of Hainan Education Department, Mr. Zhang Cao, Director for International Cooperation and Exchange of Hainan Education Department, and Mr. Zhang Xuehai, Deputy Director of the Information and Public Relations Division of ACC, attended the meeting.

Secretary-General Yang Xiuping commented positively on the achievements of Hainan-ASEAN education exchanges and cooperation, and briefed on ACC’s work. She said that ACC takes education cooperation as one of its priority areas and has devoted to establishing platforms and networks for educational institutions of ASEAN and China. At the ASEAN-China Summit and Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting held last year, consensus has been reached to further promote education cooperation and people-to-people exchanges. The year of 2017 marks the 50th anniversary of ASEAN and ASEAN-China Year of Tourism Cooperation. All of these broaden spectrum for ASEAN-China cooperation. ACC would keep close communication with Hainan Education Department to implement relevant cooperation projects, particularly the study visit to Hainan by the Regional Centre for Higher Education and Development of South East Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SAEMEO RIHED), with a view to making great contributions to Hainan-ASEAN education exchanges and cooperation.

Director-General Cao Xiankun expressed her gratitude to ACC for its support and assistance, and briefed on the development of education of Hainan Province. She said that Hainan and ASEAN countries are close neighbours and share traditional friendship. Hainan puts emphasis on education cooperation with ASEAN and has developed sound relations with ASEAN in education. At present, seven universities of Hainan have established cooperation relations with their counterparts in ASEAN countries and nearly 400 ASEAN students are studying in Hainan. Over the years, Hainan universities have provided different training programmes to ASEAN officials and technicians in tropical agriculture, marine economy, food manufacturing, tourism, economy and other fields. It has also dispatched many Chinese?volunteer?teachers to ASEAN countries. With the support and assistance of ACC, Hainan organized an education promotion tour in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and successfully held ASEAN-China University Presidents Forum in Sanya. By actively participating in the projects of ACC, Hainan hopes to further expand its practical cooperation with ASEAN in joint training sessions, teachers and?students exchange programmes, etc. for win-win results.