On 29 March 2018, ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) organized the participants attending the International Symposium on Celebrating the 15th anniversary of ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership to visit ASEAN-China Information Harbor (CAIH) and Guangxi Planning Exhibition Hall (GPEH). Attended the event were H.E. Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN, H.E. Mr. Thit Linn Ohn, Ambassador of Myanmar to China, and H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ACC.

CAIH is an important platform established in accordance with the Belt and Road initiative to build a closer ASEAN-China Community of a Shared Future. Ground breaking in September 2015, CAIH is committed to deepening network connectivity, information communication and mutual beneficial cooperation, through creating platforms of information and communication infrastructure, information sharing, technological cooperation, economic service and people-to-people exchanges, to develop Internet economy in a wider scope covering more sectors and reaching greater depth, so as to build the ‘Informational Silk Road’. According to the plan, till 2025, CAIH will build “One Base, One Center, One Axis and Two Groups” with over 90 pivotal projects and a total investment volume of RMB 75 billion. Nanning is building the Nanning Core Base of CAIH in Wuxiang New District, which consists of a headquarter and industrial projects. The delegation visited the showroom, and carefully listened to the briefing. The development of CAIH impressed the delegates deeply and they are all optimistic about CAIH’s future development.

GPEH consists of three storeys and 26 halls. Guided by the GPEH staff, the delegation reviewed the historical development of Guangxi from prehistoric period to Qin Dynasty, Han Dynasty till the founding of new China. They experienced the unique charms of various minority ethnic groups in Guangxi, learned the 13th Five Year Plan of Guangxi, plans to build the land corridor to connect the Belt and Road as well as the cultural and tourism resources of cities like Nanning, Liuzhou and Guilin. The delegates were deeply interested and actively interacted with the GPEH staffs, exchanged views on the history of ASEAN-China relations and discussed new ideas to further the exchanges and cooperation. They all said that they had learned a lot through the visit, which enabled them to know better about the social and economic development of Guangxi and the important role played by Guangxi in the overall ASEAN-China relations.?