On 12 May 2018, H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), addressed the opening ceremony of the 1st ASEAN-China Media Cooperation Forum held in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province.

Secretary-General Yang welcomed the participants from China and ASEAN, and spoke highly of the Jiangsu Province in the building of the Belt and Road and the fruitful outcomes it achieved in strengthening exchanges and cooperation with ASEAN countries. She expressed appreciation to all sectors in China and ASEAN for their positive contributions to the development of ASEAN-China friendship.

Secretary-General Yang gave a brief overview of the development of ASEAN-China relations, pointing out that ASEAN and China have forged an all-dimensional, multi-tiered and wide-ranging cooperation framework. She said that ASEAN-China relations have become the most dynamic and profound one that ASEAN has with its dialogue partners. She highlighted that both ASEAN and China are at a critical juncture for greater development at present. In 2017, the successful convening of the 19th CPC National Congress ushered in a new era for China’s development. In the same year, ASEAN celebrated its 50th birthday. The year 2018 marks the 15th anniversary of ASEAN-China strategic partnership and the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening-up. ASEAN has also embarked on a new journey for its second 50 years. Both sides are working actively to synergize the Belt and Road Initiative and Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025, and to formulate ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership Vision 2030. In this context, cooperation in various areas is brimming with vigor and vitality. Secretary-General Yang mentioned of the successful visit of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to Indonesia, where he visited the ASEAN Secretariat and attended the launching ceremony of 15th anniversary of ASEAN-China strategic partnership. Speaking highly of the development of ASEAN-China relations, Premier Li said that ASEAN-China cooperation has gone far beyond the bilateral scope and has become an important force for promoting peace, stability and common prosperity in the region. He said that China wishes to work with ASEAN to build a closer community with a shared future and is committed to be ASEAN’s partner for common development, peace, greater openness and win-win progress, entrepreneurship and innovation and in promoting inclusiveness and mutual learning. The visit, with its fruitful outcomes, will have a positive and far-reaching impact on the future development of Indonesia-China and ASEAN-China relations.

Secretary-General Yang stated that Media serve as an important bridge and bond for culture exchanges and people-to-people connectivity. The ever-deepening media exchanges and cooperation between ASEAN and China have played an irreplaceable role in enriching ASEAN-China strategic partnership. Under the new circumstances, media of both sides should redouble their efforts, keep abreast of the times and forge ahead to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the general public, create a better media environment and garner stronger public support for the development of ASEAN-China relations. To this end, she suggested both sides to spread positive energy for friendly cooperation, forge long-term mechanisms for exchanges and cooperation, make good use of new technology to explore new ways of cooperation and work for the in-depth and enduring development of bilateral relations to the benefit of the two billion people. She hoped all participants make full use of this platform to have in-depth exchange of views, share experience and make recommendations and suggestions for mutual learning and contribute wisdom and energy to increasing mutual understanding and friendship between people of two sides.

Secretary-General Yang also briefed on the work ACC has done to promote China-ASEAN media exchanges and cooperation. She said that ACC has established regular contacts with media of both sides, organized mutual visits of media organizations and actively publicized the achievements of ASEAN-China practical cooperation through its official website, Micro blog and WeChat. ACC held Lecture Series by ASEAN and Chinese Ambassadors, media networking meeting and workshop on new media, contributing its share to promoting exchanges and friendship between ASEAN and China and enhancing the awareness of ASEAN-China relations. These activities have been well received by all sides. She emphasized that ACC will work with friends of both sides to make greater contribution to deepening ASEAN-China strategic partnership and building a closer ASEAN-China community with a shared future.