On 26 April, H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), met with Mr. Wang Hua, Director-General of Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Jiangsu Provincial Government and President of Jiangsu Overseas Exchanges Association. They exchanged views on promoting ASEAN-China and ASEAN-Jiangsu friendly cooperation. Ms. Lv Jing, Chief of Foreign Affairs Section of the Office, Ms. Li Hong, Consultant of the Office, and Mr. Zhang Xuehai, Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations Division of ACC, attended the meeting.

Director-General Wang Hua briefed on overseas Chinese affairs of Jiangsu. He stated that Jiangsu attaches great importance to contacts with overseas Chinese. The Office and Jiangsu Overseas Exchanges Association fully harness the unique advantage to encourage overseas Chinese to bring foreign investment to Jiangsu, and provide quality services for overseas Chinese and other friendly people to conduct field trips, visit relatives and friends, and make investment and start business in Jiangsu. In recent years, the Office has carried out several popular activities such as benefiting overseas Chinese through Chinese traditional medicine, prospering Chinese cuisine overseas, establishing Huazhi Research Centre of Nanjing University, holding lantern show along Qinhuai River, and organizing spring camp for overseas Chinese youths to seek their roots in China, all of which have produced good results. Southeast Asia is home to the largest number of overseas Chinese, and therefore a priority region for the Office. The Office hopes to further expand Jiangsu’s contacts with ASEAN countries by means of ACC’s platforms and resources with a view to injecting stronger impetus to ASEAN-Jiangsu friendly exchanges and cooperation in all fields.

Secretary-General Yang outlined ASEAN-China relations and ACC’s mandate and work. She commended Jiangsu’s efforts and achievements in recent years in promoting ASEAN-China practical cooperation. She mentioned that ASEAN-China relations are at an important stage for further progress, bringing new opportunities to ASEAN-China cooperation in various areas. ACC will make good use of the 15th anniversary of ASEAN-China strategic partnership and the ASEAN-China Year of Innovation to serve as a bridge and bond and set up more useful platforms for Jiangsu to increase exchanges with ASEAN.