On 25 August 2017, the Joint Executive Board (JEB) Working Group Meeting of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) was held at the ACC Secretariat. This was the third JEB Working Group Meeting held in 2017. Representatives from Asian Department of the Foreign Ministry of China and Embassies of ASEAN Member States in Beijing, and the directors of all ACC divisions attended the meeting.

The meeting was chaired by Ms. Huang Ying, Director of General Affairs and Coordination Division of ACC. She expressed her gratitude for the JEB Members’ strong support to ACC and noted that 2017 is the 50th anniversary of ASEAN and the ASEAN-China Year of Tourism Cooperation, ACC actively carried out the projects approved by the Joint Council and achieved positive results. ACC Secretariat is ready to continue maintaining close communication with the JEB members and enhance the level of its work in various fields and play an even bigger role in promoting the practical cooperation between ASEAN and China.

Directors of all four ACC divisions briefed the work that has been done since last JEB Working Group Meeting in May and work plan in trade, investment, education, culture, tourism and media. The JEB members commended the fruitful work of the ACC Secretariat, and expect ACC continue to play its unique role in promoting practical cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between the two sides. Representatives of the Embassies of ASEAN Member States in Beijing pledged continued support to ACC and active participation in the activities conducted by ACC.

The Meeting studied the ACC Draft Annual Work Plan of 2018. The JEB members put forward constructive ideas and suggestions on relevant cooperation projects. They cited that 2018 would be the 15th anniversary of the ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership. The ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in Manila in early August 2017 welcomed the proposal to designate the Year 2018 as the ASEAN-China Year of Innovation. The JEB members hoped that ACC would make planning for next year’ work in line with the new situation for ASEAN-China cooperation and promote ACC work to a new level.