On 1 December 2017, ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) held ASEAN-China Film Festival Welcome Activities in Kuala Lumpur. H.E. Mme. Gu Xiulian, President of China-ASEAN Association, H.E. Mr. Bai Tian, Ambassador of China to Malaysia, H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ACC, H.E. Mr. Vongthep Arthakaivalvatee, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN, H.E. Mme. Lin Yi, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Dato’ Abdul Majid Ahmad Khan, President of Malaysia-China Friendship Association, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Lim Gait Tong, Chairman of Farlim Group (Malaysia) BHD, Ms. Joanne Koo Yoke Ann, Assistant Secretary of International Division of Ministry of Communications and Multimedia Malaysia, Mr. Ruan Yonggang, President of ASEAN Finance Agency, Ms. Wang Hualin, Deputy Dean of College of Design of Guangxi Arts University, Mr. Lin Hongmei, General Manager of Xiamen Cultural Media Group and officials of government film administrations, film directors, actors and actresses from ten ASEAN countries and China in total of around 100 people attended the activities.

Secretary-General Yang said in her welcome remarks that film is regarded as an important medium of cultural exchanges and loved by people around the world. Strengthening exchanges in the field of film between ASEAN and China is beneficial to promoting mutual understanding between peoples, mutual learning between civilizations, and common development of culture industries of both sides. In 2016, ACC initiated and successfully hosted the First ASEAN Film Week which was well received by the public. Seizing the opportunity of the 50th anniversary of ASEAN this year, ACC has initiated the ASEAN-China Film Festival in collaboration with its partners to build a new platform between ASEAN and China for exchanges and cooperation in film. By doing so, ACC hopes to make new contributions to further tapping cooperation potential in film industries and promoting people-to-people connectivity between ASEAN and China. She wished that, with the concerted efforts of all parties, the ASEAN-China Film Festival would achieve positive outcomes and become a new bright spot for ASEAN-China film cooperation.

ASEAN-China Film Festival 2017 was held from 1 to 4 December in Kuala Lumpur. The festival was initiated by ACC, and co-hosted by ACC, China-ASEAN Association, and State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of China, supported by Embassy of China in Malaysia, ASEAN Secretariat, Ministry of Communications and Multimedia Malaysia, National Film Development Corporation Malaysia, Malaysia-China Friendship Association, and Malaysian Chinese Cultural Society, co-organized by Xiamen Municipal Government, co-organized by ASEAN Finance Agency, Guangxi Arts University and Farlim Group (Malaysia) BHD. The festival was actively participated by the film community of ASEAN and China. During the festival, a series of events were held, including opening ceremony, forum on film exchange and cooperation, film panorama, cultural visits, red carpet ceremony, awards and closing ceremony. 23 films from ten ASEAN countries and 7 from China were screened during the festival.