On 28 June 2019, the 2nd ASEAN-China Industrial Design and Innovation Design Forum was successfully held in Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The forum was co-hosted by ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) and Liuzhou Municipal People’s Government, organized by China-ASEAN Expo Secretariat and co-organized by Guangxi Liuzhou Northern Ecological New District Management Commission, China-ASEAN Panorama Journal, LKK and LKKER.

Mr. Zheng Junkang, Secretary of CPC Liuzhou Municipal Committee and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Liuzhou Municipal People’s Congress and Mr. Guo Chuanwei, Director of Trade and Investment Division of ACC delivered remarks on behalf of the hosts. Mr. Chan Soo Sen, Former State Minister of Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore, Mr. Pun-Arj Chairatana, Director of National Innovation Bureau of Ministry of Science and Technology of Thailand, Mr. Unny Sankar Ravi Sankar, Secretary-General of the Belt and Road National Secretariat of Ministry of International Trade and Industry of Malaysia, Mr. Soe Thet Naung, Consul-General of Myanmar Consulate General in Nanning attended the opening ceremony and made speeches. Mr. Wu Wei, Mayor of Liuzhou, presided over the event.

Secretary Zheng Junkang said in his remarks that Liuzhou took this forum as an opportunity to gather talents, technology, capital, market, policy and other resources to form an ecological cluster of innovative “smart manufacturing”. It is expected to promote the institution-building of international industrial design and innovation exchanges, build a platform for academic exchanges and cooperation of commercial projects, and promote industrial upgrading in Liuzhou. It is hoped to make “Liuzhou smart manufacturing" as a new business card of local industry as well as to make the city an important platform for ASEAN-oriented cooperation with distinctive features of “industry, design and innovation”.

Director Guo Chuanwei said that under the theme of “Gathering Driving Force for Innovation, Opening up New Opportunities for ASEAN-China Cooperation”, the forum had discussion on issues including the current situation and development of industrial design in China and ASEAN countries and the upgrading of traditional industries. It also demonstrated to the general public the development achievements of China and ASEAN countries in scientific and technological innovation and smart manufacturing, as well as the economic, social and cultural values of industrial design. ACC will continue to promote the Belt and Road cooperation between China and ASEAN countries, establish more communication and interaction platforms, and organize economic, cultural and people-to-people exchange activities to uplift the cooperation between ASEAN and China in relevant fields to a new level.

During the forum, the delegates also visited the Industrial Museum, Baojun Base of SAIC General Motors of Wuling Automobile Co., Ltd. and the China-ASEAN Industrial Design and Innovation Design Exhibition (X Species Design Exhibition). The exhibition showed the status quo of smart manufacturing in China and ASEAN countries, as well as achievements in technological innovation, which offered direct experience of the great convenience and tremendous improvement of people’s working and living conditions brought by design, technology and smart manufacturing.