On 28 May 2021, the Inauguration of 2021 ASEAN-China Year of Sustainable Development Cooperation was held in Beijing. Mr. Zhao Yingmin, Vice Minister of Ecology and Environment of China, Mr. Seri Setia Ir. Haji Suhaimi Bin Haji Gafar, Minister of Development of Brunei, Dato Lim Jock Hoi, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Mr. Jose Santiago L. Sta. Romana, Philippine Ambassador to China, Mr. Benjamin Sukanjanajtee, Minister of the Thai Embassy in China, attended the inauguration and delivered remarks. More than 80 people attended the event, including Mr. Lui Tuck Yew, Singapore’s Ambassador to China, Mr. Sanmugan Subramaniam, Minister of the Malaysian Embassy in China, Ms. Fang Hong, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, Mr. Arianto Surojo, Director of the Information and Public Relations Division of the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), and representatives from embassies of ASEAN Member States (AMS) in China and international organizations. 

Mr. Zhao Yingmin mentioned that since the establishment of the ASEAN-China dialogue relations for 30 years, the two sides have deepened the cooperation and exchanges in sustainable development, including ecological and environmental protection, disaster prevention and mitigation, climate change response and poverty reduction. China is ready to work with ASEAN to effectively implement the new ASEAN-China environmental cooperation strategy and action framework. Through policy dialogues, capacity building and pilot demonstrations, China will strive to promote bilateral practical cooperation in biodiversity conservation, synergy between climate change response and air quality improvement, sustainable cities and plastic reduction in the oceans, so as to make new and greater contributions to regional sustainable development. 

When addressing the event, representatives expressed their hope that this event would serve as a new starting point for regional cooperation to further explore the path of sustainable development and deepen cooperation in this field.

Later, in the presence of all the guests, representatives from AMS and China jointly launched the 2021 ASEAN-China Year of Sustainable Development Cooperation.