On 16 October 2017, the 4th International Conference on Tourism and Hospitality held welcoming event in Wuxi, Jiangsu province. Dr. Ir. Bambang Supriyadi, Private Universities Coordinator of Indonesia, Dr. I Gusti Putu Laksaguna, President of National Tourism Professional Board of Indonesia, Mr. Suhendroyono, Chairman of the Association of Indonesian Tourism Tertiary Education Institution (AITTEI),Dr. DjanadiBimoPrakoso, Chairman of Trisakti Foundation, Mr. Zhu Aisheng, Party Secretary of Wuxi Institute of Technology (WXIT), and Mr. Gong Fanghong, President of WXIT, attended the event. H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), was present upon invitation.

Party Secretary Zhu Aisheng warmly welcomed all participants attending the conference, and briefed on the operation and international exchanges of WXIT. He said that WXIT has been continuously constructed the famous higher vocational institute focusing on the target of “Domestic Top, International Standard, and Distinctive Characteristics”, and was awarded various national prizes and honorary titles. In recent years, under ACC’s support and assistance, WXIT has carried out various international exchange programmes with relevant education institutions of Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries in the areas of student exchange, mutual recognition of curriculum and credits, pedagogy and scientific research, and so on, all of which witnessed the continuous deepening cooperation. The institute wished to further enhance communication with all ASEAN countries including Indonesia and ACC, and intensively explore cooperation potentials to make even more positive contributions to bilateral tourism and education through this conference.

Secretary-General Yang presented ACC’s mandate and the work of the year 2017 encompassing the 50th anniversary of ASEAN and the ASEAN-China Year of Tourism Cooperation. She stated that ACC would continue to give a full play of its unique role, and serve as a bridge and bond for both sides’ practical cooperation in education, tourism and other areas, so as to push forward ASEAN-China friendly exchanges and cooperation to continuously generate new outcomes, and benefit both peoples.

Participants exchanged views with each other on Indonesia-China and ASEAN-China tourism and education cooperation potentials and prospects, and stated that the conference built a useful platform for such ASEAN countries as Indonesia, and Wuxi and Jiangsu province to further deepen vocational education cooperation, and cultivate high quality professionals. They wished the conference could achieve a complete success and lay an even more solid foundation for the future cooperation of both sides.