From 24 to 28 November 2020, in order to strengthen ASEAN-China education exchanges and cooperation,and promote international education innovation in Hainan Province, ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) organised a trip for AMS（ASEAN Member States）embassy officials to visit Hainan and take a closer look at the development of higher education there. The trip was co-organised by Hainan University (HNU) and Hainan Tropical Ocean University (HTOU). Mr. DjauhariOratmangun, Indonesian Ambassador to China and his spouse,Mr. Chen Dehai, Secretary-General of ACC, Ms. Ang Lay Ling, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of Brunei Darussalam in China, Mr. SrengSataro, Minister Counsellor of the Cambodian Embassy in China, Mr. Yaya Sutarya, Education Attache of the Indonesian Embassy in China, Mr. PhoxayThepvilayvong, Education and Culture Counsellor of the Embassy of Lao PDR in China, as well as representatives from the embassies of Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam in China joined the trip.

On 24 November, Mr. Wu Yaoting, Party Secretary of HNU and Prof. LuoQingming, President of HNU met with and hosted a banquet for the delegation respectively. The two sides exchanged views on further promoting education exchanges and cooperation between HNU and AMS. 

 After the meeting, the delegation attended the preliminary launching ceremony of the China-ASEAN Sports Culture Development Alliance and the Maritime Silk Road Art Education Alliance of Hainan University. The China-ASEAN Sports Culture Development Alliance aims to promote resource sharing and common development among members through sports culture research, talent training, sports exhibition, competition operation, exchanges of visits and other forms. The Maritime Silk Road Art Education Alliance will expand the scope of talent training and promote resource sharing through cooperation in teaching and research, training programmes, culture exchanges and other aspects in the field of art education. 

After the ceremony, the delegation attended the lecture by Indonesian Ambassador to China Mr. DjauhariOratmangun at Hainan University, as part of the ACC flagship programme“Lecture Series on ASEAN-China Relations”. Addressing the audience, ACC Secretary-General Chen Dehai expressed hope that the lecture would help enhance Chinese university students’ understanding of ASEAN and ASEAN-China relations and deepen friendship between the people from both sides.

At HNU, the delegation visited the University History Museum, School of Music and Dance, School of Fine Arts and Design, International Tourism College, School of Tourism, and School of Physical Education, etc., and had a discussion with the representatives of each school. Delegates put forward cooperation suggestions and ideas in their respective fields of interest, hoping to carry out in-depth exchanges with HNU in tourism, art, sports, science and technology and other fields.

During their stay in Sanya, the delegation visited HTOU. President Chen Rui and Vice President LiaoMinsheng of HTOU met with the delegation. President Chen Rui briefed on the strength, disciplinesand achievements of the university. He said that as one of the ASEAN-China education and training centres jointly established by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education, HTOU has kept close cooperation with AMS in recent years and hopes to conduct more in-depth and practical cooperation in marine research, tourism education, language training as well as teacher/student exchange programmes.The delegates made short briefings respectively on the development of higher education in their own countries, and put forward suggestions on future cooperation. 

In Hainan, the delegation also visited Wuzhishan Campus of HTOU, LingshuiLi’an International Education Innovation Pilot Zone, Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Planning Area,the site of Boao Forum for Asia, and Hainan Museum of Ethnic Cultures.