From 28 to 30 July 2017, during the 10th China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week, H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), exchanged views with the participants from China and ASEAN countries on deepening ASEAN-China practical cooperation in education, culture, tourism, youth and media.

Secretary-General Yang briefed on ACC’s mandate and work, particularly the work on promoting ASEAN-China education cooperation. She stated that in the past five years since its inception, ACC has served as a bridge and bond to support the building of both sides’ education network and platforms in various aspects, and facilitate the establishment of ASEAN-China Language and Culture Centre in Beijing, and ASEAN-China Language and Culture Education Base in Tianjin. As of the end of 2016, ACC had facilitated the signing of over 450 MoUs between ASEAN and Chinese vocational education institutions. Since this year, ACC jointly initiated with Guangxi Arts University and Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) ASEAN-China Arts College Alliance, organized the 4th study trip to Hainan for ASEAN countries’ universities and a seminar for ASEAN-Hainan higher education cooperation and exchanges. As the co-organizer of 10th CAECW, ACC co-hosted and supported altogether 7 events covering personnel training, entrepreneurship and innovation in universities, vocational education, tourism education, and so on. ACC also attaches importance to supporting and promoting youth exchanges and has launched the first Chinese competition for ASEAN students in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei region. ACC will hold ASEAN-China Youth Forum, ASEAN-China Winter Camp and other colourful activities so as to cultivate more successors of ASEAN-China friendly causes.

Secretary-General Yang said that education bears on the national development in the long run and the whole society should place emphasis on this area. Next year will be 15th anniversary of ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership. ACC would seize the opportunity to join hands with various parties to strive to promote the building of the Belt and Road, and expand areas, enrich patterns, and raise levels of ASEAN-China education exchanges and cooperation on platforms and mechanisms of CAECW, so as to make even bigger contributions to promoting the socio-economic development, improving the well-being of the people and deepening ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership.

All participants commended the tremendous efforts and fruitful achievements ACC made for promoting ASEAN-China exchanges and cooperation in education and other areas. They hoped to maintain close contacts with ACC, jointly explore new approaches to ASEAN-China education exchanges and cooperation, and make unremitting efforts for in-depth development of ASEAN-China relations.

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