On 27 March 2018, H.E. Mr. Huang Junhua, Vice Governor of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region met with representatives of participants attending the International Symposium on Celebrating the 15th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership. H.E.?Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN, H.E. Mr. Stanley Loh Ka Leung, Ambassador of the Republic of Singapore to China, H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), representatives of ASEAN Embassies and Consulates in Nanning including Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Viet Nam, Mr. Liu Zhengdong, Vice Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Secretary of the Party committee of Guangxi University, Mr. Xu Liang, Deputy Director General of Department of Development Research, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Mr. Zhou Guanghua, Deputy Secretary General of the People’s Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and representatives from Guangxi International Expositions Bureau, Department of Commerce, Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office as well as Investment Promotion Agency were present at the meeting.

Vice Chairman Huang Junhua cordially welcomed all guests and extended his appreciation to ACC for co-hosting the symposium with the People’s Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. He said that as 2018 marks the 15th anniversary of China-ASEAN Strategic Partnership and the establishment of CAEXPO, it is of special significance to hold this symposium in Nanning, which reflected great support from the governments and all sectors of China and ASEAN countries to China-ASEAN relations as well as to Guangxi-ASEAN cooperation. He hoped that all parties could make full use of the symposium to exchange ideas and contribute wisdom and suggestions. He wished the symposium a full success.

Vice Chairman Huang made a brief introduction on Guangxi’s economic and social development as well as the fruitful achievements of Guangxi-ASEAN exchanges and cooperation. He said that located in southwestern China, Guangxi is the only province that linked with ASEAN countries by land and sea, which enjoyed a unique geographic advantage for cooperation with ASEAN countries. In recent years, Guangxi has actively taking part in the Belt and Road Initiative, making full efforts to build the grand passage toward ASEAN, new strategic pivot of opening-up and development in southwestern and mid-southern China and an important gateway in building the Belt and Road, which has made rapid growth and played an important role in the development of China-ASEAN Strategic Partnership. The economic and trade cooperation between Guangxi and ASEAN maintains a good momentum. ASEAN has been the largest trading partner of Guangxi for 17 consecutive years, and the trade volume with ASEAN countries accounts for nearly 50% of the total foreign trade volume of Guangxi. Cooperation platforms, namely the “Two Countries Two Industrial Parks” between China and Malaysia, China-Indonesia Economic Cooperation Zone constructed by Guangxi, and South Channel toward Singapore and CAEXPO have made great progress. Guangxi-ASEAN cooperation and exchanges on culture, education and think tanks keep advancing and a large number of ASEAN students are studying in Guangxi. He believed that with the further sustainable development of China-ASEAN strategic partnership, the exchanges and cooperation between Guangxi and ASEAN could achieve more fruitful results.

Deputy Secretary General Hoang Anh Tuan thanked ACC and People’s Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region for the considerate preparation and arrangement for the symposium and extended his congratulations to Guangxi for the extraordinary achievements in its economic and social development. He highlighted that as one of the activities for ASEAN and China to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Strategic Partnership, this symposium is of important significance. Over the past 15 years since ASEAN and China established the strategic partnership, both sides have kept frequent high-level visits which strongly enhanced the strategic mutual trust. The economic and trade cooperation has been expanding and China is now one of the most important trade partners of ASEAN. The two-way personnel exchanges have surged, which helps to enhance the mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples. China keeps a strong momentum in its economic development while ASEAN community has been realized in 2015 and is expected to be the 5th largest economy in 2030. Thus, ASEAN-China cooperation is entering broad prospects. He acknowledged Guangxi’s unique geographic advantages in expanding exchanges and cooperation with ASEAN and hoped that Guangxi could make greater achievements in constructing the international passage toward ASEAN, so as to play a more important constructive role in advancing ASEAN-China strategic partnership and promoting the regional development and prosperity.?