On 10 September 2018, Secretary-General Chen Dehai of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) met with Deputy Mayor Liu Guiping of Chongqing Municipal People’s Government and exchanged views on deepening Chongqing-ASEAN practical cooperation. Director-General Wu Kangming of Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Chongqing Municipal People’s Government, Director-General Han Baochang of China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity Administrative Bureau, Deputy Director-General Xu Xincheng of Chongqing Commerce Commission, Director Huang Ying of General Affairs and Coordination Division (GACD) of ACC and Deputy Director Ding Yue of GACD of ACC were present.

Deputy Mayor Liu Guiping welcomed Secretary-General Chen Dehai to visit Chongqing, and briefed on the friendly exchanges Chongqing maintained with ASEAN countries. He said that ASEAN is a priority in Chongqing’s opening up. In recent years, fruitful results have been produced in Chongqing’s exchanges and cooperation with ASEAN countries, including Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines. ASEAN has become the third largest trading partner of Chongqing. Chongqing is currently committed to building the Southern Transport Corridor, and sincerely hopes to have more ASEAN countries participating in the important Expos held in Chongqing, such as the Western China International Fair and Smart China Expo, so as to further advance the friendly cooperation with ASEAN, and realize win-win outcomes. He thus hoped to get ACC’s continued support.

Secretary-General Chen Dehai thanked Chongqing for the longtime support rendered to ACC. He briefed on ACC’s mandate and recent work. As the 8th Joint Council Meeting of ACC is to be held in Chongqing this November, ACC will take this opportunity to actively play its bridging role to facilitate Chongqing to further extend its exchanges and cooperation with ASEAN.