On 22 December 2017, H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), addressed the Opening Ceremony of the 2017 ASEAN-China Youth Winter Camp.

Secretary-General Yang Xiuping appreciated the Jilin University for the effective work of hosting the Winter Camp and also thanked the strong support of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Foreign Affairs Office of Jilin Province. She warmly welcomed the students from ASEAN countries as well as Japanese and Korean students. She spoke highly of the fruitful results of ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership, and said that education cooperation has always been an important part of ASEAN-China relations. The student mobility between ASEAN and China had exceeded 200,000 by the end of 2016. Both sides are working hard toward the goal of the upgraded "Double 100,000 Student Mobility Programme" to realize 300,000 students mobility by 2025. In 2016, the two sides successfully held a series of activities encompassing the ASEAN-China Year of Educational Exchange. In 2017, during the 10th China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week held in Guiyang, China, the two sides adopted the Plan of Action for China-ASEAN Education Cooperation (2017-2020), which charted the direction for bilateral education cooperation on the next stage. Last month, at the 20th ASEAN-China Summit convened in Manila, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang put forward the China-ASEAN Human Resource Development Programme, and would invite 3,000 ASEAN visitors to China for study programmes in 2018. All these have opened up new and broad space for bilateral cooperation.

Secretary-General Yang briefed on the work of ACC. Since its inception more than six years ago, ACC has always been committed to promoting friendly exchanges and cooperation in trade, investment, education, culture, tourism as well as information and media. By the end of 2017, ACC had accomplished more than 120 flagship projects and organized or participated in more than 600 activities with positive outcomes.

The younger generation serves as a strong impetus for the continuous development of ASEAN-China relations. ACC has fully leveraged its advantage to connect government agencies and education institutions of ASEAN and China, vigorously support youth exchanges, and organize such activities as summer camp, youth forum, and youth football match. At the same time, ACC has worked closely with ASEAN-Japan Centre and ASEAN-Korea Centre to support youth activities among ASEAN, China, Japan and Korea.

She said that ASEAN-China relations are moving from a period of growth to a period of maturity, and embracing even broader prospects for development. The year of 2018 will be the 15th anniversary of ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership and the ASEAN-China Year of Innovation. Jilin province has always been committed to developing education cooperation with ASEAN countries. Jilin University has established partnerships with several ASEAN counterparts and has enrolled ASEAN students for Chinese language study as well as degree programmes. She believed that the Winter Camp will serve as a new bridge for Jilin province and Jilin University to expand exchanges with ASEAN countries, and lay a more solid foundation for their lasting friendship and future cooperation.