On 10 February 2017, the Beijing ASEAN Cultural Tour (BACT), jointly held by Beijing People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (BPAFFC), ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), the People’s Government of Beijing Xicheng District and Myanmar-China Friendship Association (MCFA), was successfully commenced in Yangon Foreign Language University (YFLU). Daw Mi Mi Khaing, Deputy Director of Arts Department of the Ministry of Culture of Myanmar, U Soe Win, Vice President of MCFA, Daw Yi Yi Moe, Vice President of Yangon Foreign Language University, Mr. Tian Shanting, Cultural Counselor of Chinese Embassy in Yangon, Ms. Yu Zhou, Head of Chinese Delegation and Director of International Exchange Department of BPAFFC, Mr. Sun Jianhua, Deputy Director of Education, Culture and Tourism Division of ACC, attended the opening ceremony. Officials from the Ministry of Culture of Myanmar, representatives from MCFA, leaders of Yangon International Arts University, student and faculty representatives from YFLU and media representatives of around 500 people attended the event.

Ms. Yu Zhou expressed appreciation for the active participation of YFLU and MCFA in this event. She cited 2017 marked the 50th anniversary of the establishment of ASEAN and was also designated as the ASEAN-China Tourism Cooperation Year. Against this backdrop, this cultural tour aimed to promote cultural exchanges between China and Myanmar, in particular to share Beijing’s experience of city development and its traditional cultural heritage, and ultimately to enhance people-to-people exchanges and understanding of the two countries.

Daw Yi Yi Moe welcomed the delegation to conduct Spring Festival cultural activities in Myanmar. She said that cultural exchanges could make positive effect on Myanmar-China relations, and YFLU could make great contribution in promoting Myanmar-China cultural exchanges. She hoped that the cultural exchange activities could make a great success in Myanmar.

Mr. Sun Jianhua was interviewed by local media, including Skynet and Golden Phoenix. He said that ACC had made active efforts to promote ASEAN-China cultural exchanges and cooperation since its inception. In year 2017, ACC initiated many cultural exchange activities to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of ASEAN and would continue to give full play to its advantages and coordinate all its resources available to further promote friendship and cooperation between ASEAN and China.

In addition, the delegation also made presentation of BACT activities for students of the Myanmar Brainworks-Total Group and Schools in one of its campuses. Around 1,000 people attended the event. Mr. Mohan Aiyer, Founder and Director of the school highly appraised the Chinese Artists’ performance and expressed willingness for further cooperation with Chinese side.

The BACT cultural activities are composed of Chinese intangible cultural heritage performance, intangible cultural heritage producing skill presentation and interactions, and photo exhibition of Beijing. This was the fourth time of holding BACT in ASEAN Member States, and it was also enlisted in 2017 Happy Chinese Spring Festival cultural activity series in foreign countries coordinated by the Ministry of Culture of China. The BACT offered lively performances and interactions, and was very well received by the local people. In addition to Myanmar, the BACT conducted exchange activities in Viet Nam as well.